The Lateness of the Hour
by Mindige0
Summary: Harry is on the run, from not only Voldemort and his Death Eaters but also from the masses that are calling for him to defeat the man, and that includes his own thought to be friends. Hiding out in Forks he thought would be the easy part but or so he thought, who knew about shape-shifting werewolves and vampires? Will a burned bridge be reconstructed?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own neither of these boys or groups are mine, one only wishes. The boys are owned by their respective authors. I gain no money from this fic just the sheer enjoyment of playing with them.

Rating: M, some mature content will be introduced.

Pairing: HP/EC, if this bothers you then don't bother reading

"Harry, dear...I think it might be best that you return home" Esme Cullen told a coal haired teenage boy that had a look of disbelief on his face. They knew that he HATED being alone, and they also knew of the nightly nightmares he had if not in the company of someone during the night.

"Oh, you mean just for a couple of days?" Harry asked already knowing what the answer would be, he had seen it coming the moment Edward had come home ranting about a girl named Bella Swan and that her blood "sang" to him. He had listened as the vampire ranted and raved about her and what she did to him, which only broke his heart even more. He had been in serious crush mode, and even love with his broody vampire best friend, although he had been spending less and less time with Harry for months and the mere mortal couldn't figure out what he had done or even said that had led to the distancing between the pair of them, and also the rest of the family. Alice had been giddy for weeks about "the new girl" and how they would become the "best of friends" and that their futures were going to be entwined, something that Harry had thought he was to the pixie like vampire, it was then that he had begun to wonder if the Cullens had ever thought of him as part of the family at all.

"No, I mean you should return back to your house on a permanent basis" and it was then that Harry's heart shattered, Bella Swan had won. She had told him that when it came down to picking between the pair of them, she would be the one to win and she was right it seemed. Harry just picked up his book bag that had been laying at his feet up and turn around and walked right out of the house. He never heard Esme calling after him or even notice that Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett all stood at the door of the house watching as the tiny teen marched his way down the wet road that was the driveway for the Cullen residence with pained looks on their faces. Tears sprung up as he walked further and further away from the one place besides Hogwarts that he could call home. As he reached the end of the driveway, he pulled out his iPod, an item he bought himself, stuck in the "Beats" headphones and began to play music to the loudest degree, he had a long hike ahead of him and he in no way wanted anything from the Cullen household, even the car that the family had gotten him since he was forever walking back and forth from his small cottage in the neutral territory between Forks and the La Push Reservation and to the Cullen household, deep within the forest surrounding Forks. Harry had never really gotten the chance to make the small cottage his home, but it seemed that this would be the case now. As Harry made it to the main street; that would lead into town, a sleek Silver Volvo went speeding by in the other direction, never once slowing down or even stopping as they noticed the figure that was making their way into town and then places unknown. It was as Harry neared the edge of town that he heard the roar of a motorcycle coming up behind him over the loud music that was playing in his headphones, which was a major feat in itself since they tended to block out any and every thing, something that Harry thanked the Gods for. In most occasions it blocked out Emmett and his crude language something that Harry had little taste for since he had, had to deal with Seamus on a day to day basis for seven years. Edward on the other hand couldn't get to his thoughts since it seemed that his thoughts were spoken in Parseltongue, a language that drove the broody teenaged vampire nuts.

"Whatever you want Emmett, I don't care" Harry said before the bike revved its engine as if trying to gain his full attention.

"Emmett I said, I don't care. I don't need a caretaker to make it home especially not by you or any of the Cullens. You made your decision, now leave me alone..." at the word home, his voice cracked just a little bit for which he hoped that whoever was behind him wouldn't notice.

"Emmett, I said..." Harry words died on his lips when he turned and saw that it was not in fact not Emmett Cullen but some unknown person, that looked to be from the La Push Reservation if the insignia on their helmet was anything to go by. Harry had been told by the Cullens on multiple occasions to not deal with the 'wet dogs' if he didn't have to. They tended to be a hot headed bunch and accidents could and would occur if you weren't careful around them.

"I'm nobody's Emmett, that's for sure"

"No, sorry about that. I thought you were someone else"

"So I noticed" the man on the motorcycle said almost at ease with straddling the machine that was still running and talking to him as if this was an everyday occurrence for a man on a motorcycle to be talking to a boy that looked to be walking in the rain from some unknown location.

"Where you headed and in this rain, walking no less?"

"Home" Harry said, his tongue having a hard time saying the word when the cottage that was legally where he lived was nothing but an empty shell that he had never personalized, even though the goblins made sure that he had adequate living quarters, which meant the place may not look like much on the outside but on the inside every room in the house had all been painted white, a "blank slate" the goblins had told him this was a chance for him to live the way that he wanted to live, to pick his favorite colors and not what was expected of him, like the famous Gryffindor red and gold, colors that wore on nerves he didn't know he had. And since he didn't need to use his wand he wouldn't have to worry about Dumbledore or Voldemort coming to find him, at least quickly or easily. Now the Cullens tossed him to the side because Edward had found himself a life mate or so he thought. He was now finally getting a chance to decorate the place, something that Harry both loved and hated the idea of. He loved the idea of putting his stamp on something that was his now, not something that had been handed down to him broken by his Aunt or Uncle or even worse by some totally random person that he had never met and all for defeating a man that was very much alive and very much active in the takeover of the magical world, there was now also a bitterness to it because that meant that Edward and the Cullens had chosen their next member and it wasn't him, as he had thought it would have been, as he had been told by the Sire himself but now instead it was Bella Swan. A girl that presented herself at being the most plain, boring and whinny, when she wanted to be which was pretty much all time, and also at the present moment had no idea that she was dating a vampire and that she was spending time with a werewolf due to the lineage that the boy came from, and to add insult to injury Bella had even partially began to stay over the Cullen household since she had used the "she had didn't have nightmares with Edward nearby her" card to which almost every vampire in the household fell for. The lie had clearly worked much better than she had probably planned for since Harry had been kicked out of the room that he lived since he had befriended the odd family. Instead Harry stuff was now packed up and placed in an unused room over the garage, almost as if he meant nothing or had been a novelty to the Cullen Coven, something to play with and throw away when they tired of him and his issues, which he clearly had.

"And home would be?" The guy asked eyeing the small teen and wondering who would dare leave someone like Harry alone on a long strip of vacant road where a lot could go wrong. This may be Forks, but things could still happen, even with a coven of vampires and werewolves patrolling the surrounding area.

"The Seam" Harry had found out the place that where he lived was called the Seam it was where neutral area between the territory the vampires claimed as their and the shape-shifting werewolves that patrolled the area that they claimed as theirs was located.

"You live there?" The guy on the motorcycle asked his helmet now sitting on the not running motorcycle.

"Yeah, I've not lived there for very long."

"So you're the newbie on the block, Welcome to Forks" the unknown man said to Harry very sarcastically, he didn't seem to think that Harry was best "hoofin' it" all the way to who knew where.

"Something like that. I think that if you were to welcome someone in it would be Isabella Swan." Harry said bitterly, there was nothing like the bitter taste that he had in his mouth for Isabella Swan and her amazing acting job. She seemed a boring person but she wasn't she on the sly talked to Jessica about how great it is to have a boyfriend with money, he, himself was unsure of how the vampires never noticed; but that was no longer his concern.

"So do you want a ride, you have quite a ways to go and then there is the walk from town to the Seam." In all reality he noticed the bitter sound of the small teens voice and wanted to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Uh, um,"

"I don't bite"

"Much" the pair of them said at the same time.

"Sure, I'm quite over with being a broody teenager, what's happened, happened and they will reap what they sow"

"That so cool coming from you, it's gotta be the accent. All formal and stuff" the man said in a horrible imitation of British accents. Harry laughed and then spoke,

"Harry"

"Paul"

"Well nice to meeting you Paul, I would be delighted to get a ride with you." Harry said just for the comment that Paul has just said.

"See! See! If I were try that on the girls around the reservation, I be getting somewhere, but alas it is not to be; so get on and hold on" Paul said before Harry made his way over to the motorcycle and waited to be directed of further instruction.

"Get on behind me, okay?" Paul asked/told Harry as he swung his leg over the bike and started it back up. It was then that Harry got on and they rode away; there was no one not even a vampire that watched the trek from their starting point and if Harry actually would make it to his home in the Seam. The ride was uneventful and Paul dropped Harry off at the only house that lay in the Seam, "the small cabin in the woods."

"Thank you"

"Not a problem, you seem about high school age, you got any wheels to get you back and forth? Then again, how old are you?" Harry let out a sigh, he was tiny and that was saying something since Alice loved dressing him up each and every morning, he was her grown doll, Harry guessed that would be Bella's new position in life.

"I'm eighteen"

"Quit trying to lie your way out of this one, how old are you?"

"Eighteen, my Aunt and Uncle didn't like me much so this is what you get spend eighteen bloody years with them." Harry summed up, he was in no way wanted to discuss the abuse that he received from his Aunt and Uncle and he certainly didn't know if Paul was a shape-shifting werewolf or not. Saying you went to a magical boarding school just wouldn't fly with normal people.

"Sorry for bringing it up and I believe you now"

"Thank you, well I'm going to head in. I have a lot of work to do"

"Yeah, I should probably make it the rest of the way to La Push before they send out the search party." Harry wasn't sure on if the saying had a double meaning or if he was joking around.

"I appreciate the ride" Harry said before he went into the cottage and surveyed the true work of Magic. The goblins had been so used to being called nasty things and treated the same way, that Harry was a gem not to be forgotten, and so they had done everything possible to get him out of the way of two warlords that never battled while he was at Hogwarts. Instead the goblins took him out of the whole situation and placed him here, where you had a tribe of shape-shifting werewolves and a coven of vampires. Harry leaned his cold, wet body on the front door and finally began to cry in earnest, there was no one to hear him cry so he did so with abandonment. It felt like he was the problem and no one wanted him, first his parents die and then Dumbledore ships him to a loveless home, where he is beaten and starved for days on in, only to go to Hogwarts and battle with Voldemort on a yearly basis and then being told that his godfather Sirius Black needed some time to get over his stay on Azkaban. Then add in the fact that people had started to demand that he strike the final blow to someone he never really even knew. So who he thought were his best friends, were the ones agreeing with that the masses were saying, "Boy-Who-Lived" over and over and over again. It was then that the goblins came and literally swept him and his trunk off their feet, and gave him this one last chance of being a normal person, if one can say they are normal by using magic.

"Never again, never again" Harry began to bang his head on the door, numbing the heartache he felt with real pain. There was no use in crying anymore, the Cullens would reap what they sowed and he wasn't going to buy anything from them that was for sure. When his body began to shake he realized he was cold and wet and there was no need for him to stay that way, the shower alone could up Draco Malfoy and his Manor. So Harry got up and made his way around the cottage, remembering days of Edward coming over to help with his sleep, so some of it had already been personalize but it oddly felt like Edward and Alice and that would have to fixed as soon as possible, the furniture going to a women's shelter or something. He certainly didn't it if he felt that way about the furniture. In Harry's room was the one room that he hadn't let Edward try and touch. He asked as many times as he was over, no this was his sanctuary not the cover of some magazines that Alice and Esme were always poring over. The room was grand but the items in it seemed so small compared to the room. He had owled the goblins as soon as he could to thank them and they only replied that "We protect our own, and he need not thank them it was only something they did so happily."

"Shower then clothes" Harry said to the empty room as he left a trail of clothing as he went to the bathroom that was as grand as the bedroom. It has been hard to try to explain to Edward what all the handles did in the shower one day when he went in there to get a towel for drying out of a heavy rainstorm they were having. He did eventually did tell the Cullens about his magical abilities, Emmett had bugged him for days for him to do something only to get what he wanted. He was no longer needed a wand, he thought it was all that time that spent locked up at his Aunt and Uncle incanting spells to see if he could remember all of the spells he could. It would seem Fate allowed him this one boon and he was lifting a piece of paper up in the air. Now he knew better to tell this little fact so he kept it his little secret.

Once in the bathroom did Harry turn handles and then stepped into the shower that would relieve him of his stress. So the Cullens wanted Bella they could have her, but when they truly learn why she was with Edward, he wouldn't accept an apology, no he would just turn the other way like they had done to him. After his shower Harry made his way to the walk-in closet that had clothing from very prominent designer and he got them from the goblins, no less! He found a pair of sweatpants and a Slytherin t-shirt that he loved to wear around the house and to school. He had started some sort of kick that most of the girls took up to make shirts that had no meaning; only in his case it was true. Now he was happy that the goblins did not leave any of the other Hogwarts houses, just his private stash of what he had and he figured if he had a stash of Slytherin t-shirt then the goblin were a powerful bunch and people need not metal in their realm. After getting dressed Harry made this way back to the living room to make some phone calls, he was getting rid of all things Cullen and that meant the furniture had to go and soon. Who would care if he didn't make it to school tomorrow, he had better and more important things to do. He would drive to Port Angels and check out what they had there and if not Port Angels he would go on to Seattle proper and hope that he wouldn't be recognized and turned in. It was worth a shot, after that he found his keys to start his drive an owl came for him and it was carrying what looked like a heavy box full something. Harry ran to the window and opened it for the snowy white owl, he had to leave Hedwig back in Britain but it seems the goblins can do many a great thing for you if you didn't judge them by their surly exterior.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hedwig" Harry called out to the bird only to get a nip on the ear once the bird was free from its package.

"I missed you so much, I just don't how to deal in this there are shape-shifting werewolves and vampires and the caddy cunt of town Bella Swan." Harry ranted the whole time Hedwig sat on his shoulder and took in her master's words. She would kill someone that was trying to hurt her master and so she listened as she plotted and planned.

"I'll have to thank the goblins of course, amazing group they are. I don't understand why people judge people and beings so quickly. Anyway what's in the package? With the goblins who knows but I'll love it either way." Upon opening the box a huge smile lit up his face, which got him a mini fan club like Edward had, since he was only available one out of the group.

"The goblins rock" Harry shouted as he picked up a thick stack of catalogue with different pieces of furniture.

"No need for me go out, come Hedwig we have some shopping to do." and with that Harry took a seat on the posh leather couch, that he didn't want, to sort things out. Once he had plan together he would then get to calling for the pickups of the old furniture. Harry looked at the catalogue until it was late into the night. Harry wasn't fazed though he kept pushing; if he could stay up for 24 hours at the Dursley household then you were a safe person. Uncle Vernon did love to dole out the punishments at random.

"I think we have a plan, now if I could stop with needing someone to stay with me, I would be good." Hedwig cocked her head, he master was having trouble sleeping, that simply won't do. She decided to sleep with Harry and hope that her master would have one less bad dream. That night not a nightmare came to him and for that he was thankful of his old time companion.

"Thanks Hedwig, you truly are the best owl around. Malfoy can have his hawk owl and ravens or whatever, you my dear are truly special." Harry told Hedwig before going into the bathroom to get ready for the day. He figured he would put on a pair jeans for the people that he was giving the furniture to. Once ready for the day Harry headed to the phone and began calling places that wanted some furniture, lucky thing he had an iPhone because as soon as they saw the furniture they were quick to accept. With pick up in the late morning, Harry then went out to his backyard he decided that he could grow some plants so that if he ever needed to make a potion he would only have limited exposure to the world, or more like the magical world. With that thought in mind he made his way into the house and to the laptop that he had purchased when he bought the iPod, the attendant was happy person that day he was there. It was when he landed in Seattle and had some time to kill and there in the terminal was a mini Mac store, so Harry made his purchase and then jumped on the plane to Port Angels and then picked up the mini cooper that the goblins had bought him for making his "about town" as the note said that sat in the driver seat of the car. Harry quickly got to work on trying to find the best way to use the space that he had. He didn't want to lose the beauty of it, being natural but maybe a little shack close to the house would work. Harry made it into the house right on time, because the phone rang and they wanted to know if he was taking a sick day or something. Forks was a small town and that made the high school pretty small so they knew of his legal status and let him dictate how and what he did.

"Yeah, put me down for that. I've a bad taste in my mouth and I need to clear it up." Harry answered smoothly, gone was the boyhood hero; now there stood a jaded and a touch of sarcasm and snideness since he got so much of it from Professor Snape for 7 years. Harry mastered all the quirks that they man had and he made them his own, an adult of a man. He was not going to get tromped on again. He was tired and he didn't want to head up an army of people that could die, no he wanted a nice quiet life with his life partner, since he didn't dig the birds here or anywhere. Although he found Bellatrix devotion to Voldemort hot, so he was oddly attracted to her and she was a bit of a kook, there was just something sinisterly sexiness she had, but the rest of the birds could keep out his life. He didn't know how much mail he had got talking about wanting to bond with him and that they would be the perfect wife. It was too bad he took to the male form much better that the birds. He found out a lot about himself the past few months, he was tired of putting a mask on that he just wanted to be left alone. Harry heard a honk of a horn and shortly there of two men removing all of the items that were bought while trying to appease the Cullen duo. Once the last item was carried away he kissed them goodbye and smiled as he did so.

"Now to get to work, Hedwig" Harry said to the bird that perched on his shoulder, there wasn't really anywhere to land and stay perched to watch her master. With that being said, Harry began buying things he like the stereo system he liked. He had kept with the hardwoods floor and it took a lot to get that from Alice to bow in his request . He was glad he had fought because now the floor would make it a mod/contemporary look he was going for. He had no care for what the Cullens would think of this space anymore, they chose who they did but yet for some reason it was freeing to be his true self and that was a person that was largely shy, uncertain person that looks to others to fight battles he need not meddle with. So what if the floor was glazed over fiber board that had been lain down when the goblins built it, they had given him an empty shell to do what he wanted to. He made the cottage two stories by enlarging using expanding charms and that was how he wanted it to be. He had decided that the bedroom would house a beautiful mural of magical beast roaming the room. Hedwig would be in her element then, he hadn't done so because at that time the Cullens knew nothing about the magical world. So moving animals weren't something you just drop on someone. He got off easy with Edward wanting to know about all the handles that were in the shower area of the bathroom from there it was straight to the Cullen household and from there things sort of went the way they went they had and he had moved into the Cullen household when they learned of his phobia of being alone at night. Each one would stay a night in his room as he slept, but it was mostly Edward that stepped up and more and more it was Edward becoming a fixture in his life, and so he knew that the moment that his mate or singer came he would be history. Something to be forgotten, as he had been his whole life.

It was then that Harry decided that he liked the large glass windows at the Cullens and would try to replicate the same thing at his own home. He would have a much easier way to do this since he had magic by his side. So Harry busted out the back of the living room and lined them in 10 foot glass panes, created from a piece of rice he had.

"Better but it's missing something, what could it be though?" Harry quickly figured out what it was, he hadn't really made a space for him to do his homework and such. He hadn't gotten to that before the Cullen clan invaded. So with that he made a cozy office off the back of the house, and ironically funny, a cupboard the stairs, although you couldn't tell. Expanding charms was the best thing they had. Harry took a peek of what it looked and felt like and it felt like home. Somewhere where he was him and that life doesn't revolve around taking Dark Lords down, that was so old news to him.

"Now to work on that mural, he didn't want floor to ceiling window in there, no he just would keep his bedroom space the same just adding the mural of the magical beasts of their world. He now understood Hagrid's fascination with the beasts. Many of them just wanted to avoid you as much as they could. Soon splashes of color circled the rooms and Harry added a menagerie animals and he even pulled out his _Book of Magical Beast and some common ones too_ and soon the walls came to life literally. Harry lived it up as much as he could for he knew that realities lay ahead of him at Forks High School, where Edward and Bella were stepping out as a couple with Edward donning gloves saying that they got a bit cold to the touch, so Bella truly didn't know who or what Edward was. Okay so he was hot, duh, but Harry thought it was the brooding teen angst that seemed to follow him while living with a coven of vampires that were all mated that got them or maybe it was that he knew piano, Harry wasn't sure but he it was probably a combination of those things. What she had done to Edward he had been unable to do, so he knew that he would be in for a hurting but he had taken that bit of hurt sooner than expected. He now knew his status to the Cullens and it wasn't life member, he had a better chance of defeating Voldemort if that was case.

Meanwhile the happy couple made their way to their first class of the day. The Forks gossip mill was running rampant that day; about how she got him and for how long and had this been a secret? It was good thing that Harry wasn't there to see the crap that would make you want throw up, mouth vomit not so much.

"See you in biology," which happened to be second period for the pair.

"Biology" Edward said before kissing Bella on the lips and making his way with Alice; who was all smiles and giggles, to his first period, French in which he was fluent in. He had at one point in time started learning Latin to figure out what Harry was incanting, but he figured that died the day Bella Swan rolled into town. He should have seen it coming after all he was Fate's rag-tag doll. Oddly enough he didn't care about Edward or the Cullens, okay he did, but he wasn't going to put on that mask anymore and he wouldn't be a hero to save the day, he would be just Harry and be happy with it. It was then that Harry thought to visit the La Push Reservation and say thank you to Paul once again. So Harry grabbed his keys, only stopping before he realized that Paul was a man and probably a hungry one, and he could cook up some mean dinners, he wasn't a house elf for most of his life to not figure out some tasty and filling dishes since both "Dudders" and Uncle Vernon were not small men by any means. Harry took a look at what was in the pantry and what was savable from the refrigerator which was a lot more than he expected there to be more, but being that he did get out alone from the Cullen, they never knew he was keeping his dream alive and well. Once he began his plan he would start with writing a thank you note to the goblins and well to Paul, gas prices looked too high and it is quite a bit of a drive to the Seam. So maybe a little gas money was an okay thing to do. It's not that he lacking he had plenty of that, no this was paying it forward to a community that had been given the short end of the straw one too many times. He knew the roads of Forks and the La Push Reservation, he had even did a drive through only to see something that he didn't wish to be seen, there were wandering goats followed by small house in disrepair and places that looked to be all but abandoned from the Reservation. And okay so maybe he may have wanted to see Paul again he was a cutie and he could always use a shape-shifting werewolf, if he was one, to keep the vampires off his property. Oh how ironic would that day would be, what Harry didn't know was how soon that he would see this happen only for them to come back to him acting as if they hadn't asked him to return home because of Bella, oh the bridges that had burned that day.

"Done and done" Harry said putting the dinner in containers and the thank you note on top and making his way towards his car sitting in the car porch the whole time muttering about bloody werewolves and their large appetite. He didn't how Professor Lupin did it, he had seen a shape-shifting wolf alone in the forest and when their sneak approach didn't work Harry was greeted with Jacob Black, current Omega member of the La Push Reservation and to the Seam. There they not tred unless given permission. That's like stealing someone dinner back when the treaty had been made, well sort of, either way they came to a peaceful medium and everyone was happy, as usual. Once in the car he started it up, still had the new car smell since Alice wanted to welcome him into the fold by giving him a new car, oh the non-joy that brought to Harry. It seemed she didn't like the him he was and so she molded what was now, himself with a mini cooper as a car, in green and white of course. She could fuss over fashion with Bella and buy her new cars, he didn't want that life. At least now that his eyes had been opened to how easily they got rid of him, and he wasn't much to handle he paid his just bills like normal people and lived like adult. All the way to the reservation he played his music blaring out of the specialty speakers he had the dealer install. So it came to some surprise to see Paul without a shirt on, what fine view for Harry to see looking around. Harry turned the music down and parked next to the motorcycle that was parked outside a very small cabin was putting lightly.

Harry got out of the car and: "Uh, yeah hi"

"Harry?"

"Yeah, uh I should go it was stupid idea but I thought I would thank you properly. You saved my arse out there and I appreciate, so do you wanna eat or tell me to bugger off?"

"Is that what I'm smelling"

"That it is, my kind sir" Harry smiled this was easy it just clicked he didn't work with an over 100y year old vampire and his broody mood swings.

"Then bring it in and get ready for a throwdown" Paul said as howls began to voice their opinion on the matter. By the time he left the reservation he had one marriage proposal, ah the young, and the rest asked if he could help them out a bit with the food department since Emily usually was the provider of massive meals. Now the pair could get them fed quickly and easily, some were even willing to go in to the cottage to get some of his food. Harry arrived back to his house with no problem, he did think that he spotted the silver Volvo that Edward drove parked somewhere in town but figured Bella could have that life and he would stick to his with just a hope he would find someone out there that valued him for him and not what they could make of him. That night Harry had happy dreams, dreams full of happiness and not of torture and death as was usual protocol. Now the next morning when he staggered into the kitchen he could hear a scratching at the door.

"What the bloody flippin' hell" Harry said before opening the door and letting something, and letting the something in, hopefully it would be a certain cutie that he saw at the Reservation, which would be a shape-shifting werewolf.

"Nice place you have here" came Paul's voice from the living room area.

"What the bloody hell was the scratching at my back door for? It's way too early to be up and I've not had my cuppa"

"Dude someone's not a morning person."

"No I'll take the dark over this or are you here to try and convert me"

"I'll do the convert option please, so what's for breakfast dear?"

"Oh go find your own food, I'm gunna go with a cuppa and check on my office."

"No you love me and will feed me, I won't leave here if you don't" Paul was really in his element now. Gone were the days hot headed Paul, he seemed to have mellowed out since picking Harry up. He felt amazing better than he had before, he still thought it was a bad idea of Jacob to be carousing with Bella Swan; she seemed just a touch off and snotty, acting as if she would be unable to live in such conditions.

"Fine, fine you want bangers and hash, or something a bit more filling."

"Since I don't know what bangers and hash is, I'm going to pick option two Bob"

"Fine go search the house and see if you could find a pair of pants or something." Harry was hyperventilating over how good Paul looked and he "saw" all of Paul.

"I might do just that" Paul voice said as it carried to the upstairs, there had been some issue with them being magical being and such but once past that they didn't care about any of it, they wanted just shy ol' Harry.

"And don't be stealing my fashion you can't wear it cuz it was made just for me" and didn't that sound snotty?

"I'm to refrain from taking anything since you are only five two and I'm topping at about six foot five last time I checked."

"oh shut it you or your breakfast will disappear, I can make that happened. And what I need to get some kind of doggy door?"

"Yes dear on all occasions, and I found one thing in your closet that I would willingly wear, mostly it wasn't my style"

"Come bring it down your breakfast is getting cold" which was a lie since he had a warming charm on it.

"Fine and nice mural how did you make the animals move?"

"Magic of course my dear" Harry counter it was that he saw Paul in a pair of faded blue jeans cut offs and Slytherin shirt in his hands.

"Do you how hard it took the goblins to get those for me?! It's not that easy getting other houses paraphernalia?"

"What are you talking about?"

"My Slytherin t-shirt is what."

"This? You mean this is real? I've seen some of the girls at the Rez with shirts that didn't make any sense so I figured you had done that yourself. Catchy title though."

"Very much true thank you very much."

"So what is it? A rock group? A School?"

"They only wish, it's a house at the boarding school I went to for the last seven years of my life. The houses there are Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff; each was named after a founder's last name of the creation of the school that I went too, called Hogwarts. Each house has its own I identity and they as a team work together to try and win the house cup every year. I've made sure my true house never won more times than they did." Harry replied, he had made sure that the Slytherins always had a large enough lead so that when it came down to the wire and he was to pull one of his Gryffindor stunts it wouldn't be enough for his house to win. He hated all things Gryffindor at this point in his life, since it were those same people that had let him down the most. They had been the ones to send him back to his relatives year after year, even after seeing the condition that he came back looking like he was skin and bones and there was always a bruise on his face that he had explained away that his cousin had done something to him on the way to Kings Crossing and they had taken it just that easily no more questions just a nod of the head and then going onto how much fun that they had, had over the summer with their families. Most times Harry excused himself to the loo only to find solace in the compartment with Luna, who mostly talked to him about animals that only she and her father seemed to believe in. Harry basked in the solace that she was giving him, for however long it lasted before he was forced back into his Gryffindor mask. If he had a few people to miss, Luna Lovegood would be one of them, and oddly enough Draco Malfoy being the other.

"Boarding school? You don't seem as the boarding school type"

"I'm not but the school I went to was in Scotland and well you know driving back and forth and Little Whinging to Scotland isn't a quick trip."

"I'll believe you, I have no sense of geographic skill when it comes to England and beyond the

Americas. So if you say so, then I believe you"

"So why are you really here? It's too bloody early in the morning to be coming for a visit so you *must* have a reason on why you are here?"

"To see my lover?"

"A lie, you like birds"

"Birds?"

"Girls, women, ladies….." Harry said giving Paul a look, he would be quite happy to be the imprint of Paul's but he knew there was a woman out there for Paul and he wasn't it.

"Why yes I do"

"So what do you want?"

"Your car for the day, Emily gave me money and a list of things that she would need for the next few days and you know the pack will get angry if they don't get fed on time"

"You want my car?"

"Well….."

"That I do, fine take the car but you have to drop me off and pick me up from the hell hole of a high school Fork High School. Go Spartans!" Harry said with as much enthusiasm as he could, which wasn't much, he had no urge to go to school but he figured the longer he hung out at his home it would only make the hurt of Edward choosing Bella that much more painful.

"Can do, but I have a feeling the leaches won't like me in the parking lot of FHS"

"I could care bloody less" Harry said, he actually did care but there was nothing he could really do at this point.

"Why do you go anyway? You're legal"

"But I have no real concept of non-magical living, so I need to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life without magic to some extent."

"Now here's the shirt and let me get ready for school and day, after all I have to deal with a group of vampires and a cunt of a girl that thinks she knows something about what she is dealing with." Harry said pushing the shirt into Paul's hand and then making his way past the other man, showing the last marks on his back from when his uncle would think using the buckle side to his skin was a good idea. The man wasn't above such things when it came to him; he loathed Harry just as much as Harry loathed the man himself. No love was lost when Harry didn't return home the summer after his seventh year. He had acted as if his relatives would come and pick him up but by that time he had been in touch with the goblins and the plans had been set so that he would make for a quick exit.

"Oh yeah, there are those aren't there" Paul said just looking at the marks on Harry's back and not saying anything about them. There was no need, he could figure out from the limited amount that he knew of Harry, that his life had been saying hard would be putting it lightly.

"Yeah, and Gods only knows what the Forks Rumor Mill has to say about their coming out party. As if I want to hear that" Harry muttered to himself as he made his way up the stairs and to the bedroom where his clothing and bathroom lay, after a quick shower and an outfit change Harry made his way back downstairs and to Paul who was waiting for him.

"Ready?"

"As I can be" Harry said before loading his bag for the day with his laptop and school work and then the pair of them left the house and locked it up. Harry waved his hand to activate his spell on the anti-theft charm he had and then got into the passenger side of the car while Paul put the seat back as far as he could and then got in.

"Let's get going, I'm bound to be late for first period with the time it took for me to make you breakfast" Harry said as Paul tooled down the road and to Forks High School, a place that he didn't want to deal with. He had been glad that the Reservations had a school so that he didn't need to deal with the people of Forks for the most part. Unemployment was high on the Reservation but he had managed to find a crappy job just beyond the town that he would rather run from then live in. As Forks High School neared Harry wanted to throw up, he knew that everyone would notice the non-communication that he and the Cullens would have. They had taken notice when Harry found himself at their table talking in low tones about being a vampire and how well was the wild animals there were around the area. Bella had taken that spot now, so he would have to find somewhere else to sit during lunch, which he never ate or ate light, Hermione had harped at him enough about eating that he at least tried to eat something at least to shut her up, she was reminded him sort of like Bella but much, much smarter.

"You going to be okay over there" Paul asked as he had noticed the tension that had entered the small teen as they got closer and closer to the high school.

"No I don't honestly think so, but if I feel as if I've had enough you'll come get me?" Harry asked wanting to make sure there was an exit plan should he need it.

"Of course, just call. Today's my day off so I'll be at home or at Sam's trying to steal food." Paul said with a grin that made Harry laugh, which seemed to calm him down. He could do this and if not then he could hide away until he felt as if he could be able to handle the one person who he thought got him with a person that he need not be with.

"Okay then" Harry said programming Paul's number into his iPhone quickly, just as the front of Forks High School came upon the pair of them.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be" Harry said just as he noticed the Cullens with Bella Swan on Edward's arm, he noticed the gloves straight away but he took in the almost 100 year vampire in. He noticed little things that just seemed off, like his smile it wasn't the same as it was with him, this one seemed more strained more put on a show then the real smiles he showed to Harry. Harry also noticed that Edward seemed to look ill-at-ease with the way things were going, but yet smiled and put on the show that he had to. Harry knew better than to think the group of vampires would come back to him, but he could hope couldn't he?

"Call if you need me and come here lover" Paul said before Harry and then giving Harry a hug and making sure to make a show of pulling Harry into a hug and then nipping at his neck making sure that he left a mark. He would talk to Sam when he got back to his house about having Harry becoming an honorary member of the pack. He could tell that the small teen was lost without people that cared about him. After making a show of things, with Harry laughing while opening the car door, both saw how quickly all of the Cullens turned their heads their way. A vampire could smell a werewolf in seconds and the same could be said about the other, which meant that the Cullens scented the shape-shifting werewolf shortly after the door opened.

"They watch" Paul said in a voice that made Harry laugh.

"Then let them" Harry said grabbing his bag and then continuing onto first period as if he hadn't seen the Cullens and Edward's bland arm candy. He could hear them murmuring but shrugged it off. He wasn't going to be dictated to any longer, they would have to apologize and grovel for quite some time before he would let them back into his life, *if* he did.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry's first period was Latin, as if he needed it but he figured he could always need more material should he ever want to construct a spell for some reason. Harry slid into the room just as he felt someone try and touch him. He knew who it was but he refused to acknowledge the vampire that he was certain was behind him.

"Mr. Cullen, last I checked you weren't in this class" the teacher said as he noticed that Harry seemed not to be talking to the other male that stood at the classroom door.

"I wanted to talk to Harry" Edward told the teacher, it wasn't unusual for Edward to walk Harry to class but with Harry arriving alone the teacher knew that something was going on. He had heard about Mr. Cullen arriving at school with Isabella Swan the other day, but he hadn't thought that the friendship between the pair had been broken up because of the change in relationship status, which was a shocker in its self.

"Class is about to start, how about after class Mr. Cullen" the teacher said knowing that Harry would probably disappear well before Edward would arrive back to the classroom. Class had been a real bore but since he might need to be able to used what learned from class in possibly creating a spell, should he ever need it. It was after second period in which he dreaded, he happen to have Biology with Edward and Bella, he had been paired up with some Asian kid that did all the work while talking at 100 kilometers an hour to Harry. The guy just never did shut up, the only time he was silent was during the teacher's lecture before the lab that would have that day. Kwon or maybe it was Chang, or was it Ling? Harry thought the boy's last was or maybe it was Le he wasn't sure and he didn't much care since the guy usually ran the lab and gave Harry the answers. Horrible he knew but it was like the guy didn't want him to help, so Harry left him to it only jotting things down when the other boy did. As luck would have it Harry had arrived much before either Edward or Bella arrived to class, which meant that he beat Edward from coming from his first class of the day. Edward usually picked him up and they walked to class together but that had changed the moment that Edward decided that Bella was what he wanted and there was no room in the Cullen family for him. The happy couple made their way into the classroom, it was then that Edward registered him and the smell that he probably brought with being in Paul's presence. Harry held his head high while copying the notes from his lab partnet from yesterday, he refused to even try and act as if nothing had happened, because something had and now Edward along with the Cullens had to live with the choice that had been made, which was Bella in their lives and him out of it. Nothing was said but Harry could see Edwards jaw clench and he knew that the vampire wasn't happy with what he was smelling and probably seeing. By the end of the period Harry had a smirk on his face, he could tell that the forever teen so wanted to talk to him, even volunteering to gather the items required for the lab, since he knew that was the only part that Harry did of whatever lab they were trying to conduct. Sadly this time it was the Asian boy that got the supplies this time, leaving Edward to stew even more on the way that Harry was acting and the smell of wet dog entering his nose. He hated it when Bella went to visit Jacob Black, for it would be days that he would have to avoid the girl before being able to be in her presence again. By the end of the period Harry knew that Edward would probably try and corner him, but sadly he had Bella to hang off of him and that meant Harry could make a speedy exit should he need to. Lunch would be an issue for him, since it would be all of the Cullens together which meant it was bound to get messy then. The whole period before lunch Harry was on edge, he wanted no trouble from the vampires but he knew he would probably get one anyway because of the smell that was bound to reach their noses.

Lunch came with Harry grabbing a couple pieces of fruit and then gliding over to a table in the corner that no one ever sat at, it had actually been the first table he had eaten at before he became friends with the Cullens, seemed he was right back where he started in this town; a nobody which was just fine for him. Harry made sure that his back was faced towards the doors of the cafeteria doors that way he would be able to at least see them sneaking up on him should he need to use his laptop screen as a mirror. Harry saw and heard the moment they entered the cafeteria for the Rumor Mill seemed to swell; now Harry may have not noticed what it was that was stirring the pot but it seemed to be good whatever it was. The whole lunch period Harry watched the coven of vampires from his computer screen and he made sure not a one of them made their way over, it was just as the bell rang to signal the end of lunch that Edward had started to make his way over to where the smaller teen sat, but being five foot two had its advantages and that meant that he got swallowed up into the crowd of people exiting the cafeteria. For the rest of the day Harry had minimal contact with the Cullen Coven but he did end up having one class with Jessica Stanley to which he heard her talking about Bella and the life as Edward's girlfriend. It was interesting to hear that she had not as of yet been invited into the Cullen household since he had been evicted from said location. When the end of the day came Harry really, really hoped that Paul would be waiting for him and he would be able to evade Edward or any of the Cullens, they couldn't use their speed in the human world so that gave a bit of an advantage but not much. Harry could see that Edward seemed to be waiting for someone and it wasn't Bella, for she was standing next to Alice, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper which meant the forever teen was waiting for someone else, him. Harry peaked around a building and could see that Paul was in the parking lot waiting for him. He only had to make it to his car, but he knew that as soon as Edward saw him it was pretty much over for him for there would be demanding of information and Harry didn't want any kind of show down with the vampire. At this point he just wanted to make it home and to his safe little world that he had created yesterday. Harry said nothing since if he did Edward would know that he was rounding one of the buildings on the wrong side to where Paul said waiting for him watching as Harry made his way down and over while watching the vampires and seeing how impatient that Edward was becoming as Harry never showed. Harry neared the end of the building and gave Paul a signal which made Paul start up the car and look as if he was going to leave, it was just enough of a distraction that Harry needed to stroll quickly to the car hop in and watch as Edward turned and started to make this way only to be stopped by Bella whining about wanting to go home.

"Go" Harry croaked watching as the Cullens got smaller and smaller in the rearview mirrors of the car.

"I was certain he had you" Paul told Harry, he had watched as the vampire stalked Harry from the building to the parking lot and how it seem to upset Bella only to be placated with words from Alice.

"He picked, but I don't see why he should care, I'm not the one that makes him feel alive or a passion so deep that he didn't know what to do with it. To them I was just entertainment"

"Oh you're more than entertainment, you can cook too and that means you are a food provider in my book" Paul said, he didn't want to tell Harry that the look on the vampire's face was something he had never seen before from the forever teen, it was true passion and dare he say it but love. Oh Bella Swan wasn't what Edward wanted, no it was Harry that he wanted and needed but it seemed that the forever teen was conflicted on what he wanted and probably what he needed in his life at a mate.

"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better" Harry said with a laugh, at least he knew where he stood in Paul's book. The man was always completely honest with him, something in his book.

"Well at least I'm honest" Paul said taking Harry back to his house, he had figured he would run back home so he was without a shirt and in a pair of cut-offs when he came to pick Harry up. He had seen many of the students pointing to him and whispering to each other about his choice of attire for picking up the other boy.

"That you are" Harry agreed just as they pulled up to Harry's house.

"I'll pick you up later tonight" Paul said which had Harry confused. Pick him up for what?

"For?"

"Pack meeting and I'm sure Emily could use the help with getting things prepared"

"We could have just headed over there you know"

"I do, but you have homework young man and I don't want you falling behind because of the pack"

"Oh I highly doubt that" Harry said but made his way into his house and then watching as Paul shifted and made his way into the forest. He so wished he had been Paul's imprint but instead he had fallen for a certain vampire and nothing could change that fact. Later that afternoon Paul showed up on his motorcycle and a helmet for Harry. He had spoken at length with Sam about Harry and the alpha had agreed that Harry needed to be part of the pack, he knew that Jacob Black would be pissed about such a thing but Sam could tell that Harry was a person that made friends for life and not at the whim of their attitude for the day, which was exactly what Bella Swan did. Even Jacob couldn't fault him on that, the girl hadn't really spoken to him much until after he had shifted for the first time and put on a serious amount of meat and height.

"I'm here lover" Paul said waltzing into the house and coming in as if he owned the place, Harry had made sure that Paul had been added to the anti-theft charm as soon as he got home from school. He had no problem with Paul coming the house, hell he still had the Cullens keyed into the wards of the house but he was uncertain on if he would ever see any of the Cullens in his house again, but one could hope though.

"In here" Harry called out from his office/den area. He was just putting the finishing touches on his homework. Paul followed Harry's voice to where Harry sat at a desk waiting for the other man to arrive.

"You ready?"

"For?"

"Pack meeting, Emily needs help with cooking" Paul reminded Harry, to which had the small teen stood up and made his way towards Paul, who was waiting for him with a helmet in his hands. Soon the pair was off and it was soon after that, a certain silver Volvo pulled up to the front of Harry's house. Edward took in the house and saw that Harry's car was sitting under the car porch, which he figured meant that the small teen was home. Edward got out of the car with one thought on his mind, that he had to talk to Harry and explain to him that hanging out with the werewolf population was a bad idea, he had spoken to Carlisle about what he had seen today at school and the Sire of the coven had been most unhelpful with trying to figure out what he wanted or more like who he wanted. He needed time, and he was here solely on that reason alone, well who was kidding he missed Harry terribly, much more than he thought he would have been after finding his mate. Edward knocked on the door before waiting for Harry to answer, when that seemed to not have worked he rang the doorbell thinking that Harry hadn't heard him knock at the door. When that proved to not work, Edward looked around and then snuck to the backyard to see if he could see Harry in the living room or somewhere in the house. When that proved unhelpful Edward jumped up in a tree that sat outside of Harry's bedroom window. It was then that he noticed the changes to the room. There on the walls was a mural of moving animals that he had thought had never existing until he met Harry.


	4. Chapter 4

"What's going on" Edward mumbled before jumping back down and looking into the large glass window pane and seeing that the living room looked different as well. It was then that Edward became confused, had things changed since two days ago? He knew that Harry was hurt but he hadn't thought that what had happened two days ago would make Harry do such drastic things such as changing out the furniture in the living room and taking up residence with the werewolves.

"Harry what are you doing?" Edward asked the empty house, he would have to go back home and attempt to figure out what his next course of action was in regards to Harry and him hanging out with the La Push werewolves. He had seen red when he smelled the scent 'wet dog' on Harry, or maybe that was jealousy that he was feeling; at this point he was uncertain on what he was feeling at this point in time.

"I simply must speak with Carlisle" Edward said to himself as he got back into the car confused on how Harry's car could be parked in the car porch and the small teen wasn't inside the house. Edward rode back to the Cullen house thinking about the feelings he seemed to be having with the change in Harry.

Meanwhile Harry was at the Reservation helping Emily get things ready for the pack meeting that was to be held in just a little bit. Harry wasn't really certain on what he would be doing while the pack discussed whatever it was that they discussed but he figured he would follow Emily on what to do during the meeting. Soon pack members started coming in and began picking at the food that was already out and waiting for him.

"Great, food" Paul said rubbing his hands together. He had spoken with Sam quickly after the pair of them arrived to Sam's house about the initiation of Harry into the pack and Sam said that everything had been all set up. Soon the house was filled with shape-shifting werewolves and the loud noises that came with them. Harry stuck close to Emily, helping out when he could and making sure that he wasn't in the way.

"Okay, okay….let's get started" Sam said calling the meeting to order.

"We have a lot to discuss, first up is has anyone seen anything suspicious going on at the parameter of the territory?" Everyone answered the same way, that nothing seemed out of place at the parameter of the territory.

"Excellent" Sam said before going to the next topic and then finally getting to the topic of Harry being let into the pack.

"Are there any objections?" Sam asked the pack, Harry stood stunned, they were going to let him into the pack?

"He's not an imprint" Jacob Black piped up, he didn't like it one bit that Harry was going let into the pack and he knew he if asked about Bella they answer would be no.

"He may not be an imprint but he has proven his worth"

"Paul just met him!" Jacob shouted this so wasn't fair. Sam said nothing, he knew that Jacob was angry about the course of events, but he also knew that Bella Swan would only become a major thorn in their sides once she figured out what they were. She seemed the type that would hold it over their heads until she got what she wanted, and if that hurt the pack she didn't much care.

"I know where you are going Jacob and know that Harry is not some normal mortal"

"But Bella…."

"She is going out with one of the leeches, make sure that you remember that" Jacob flinched, yeah he had sort of forgot about that. He and Bella had been spending so much time together lately that he had forgotten that she knew nothing of the struggle that was going on between the werewolves and vampires of the area.

"He used to hang out with the leeches too!"

"Jacob, if you truly feel that way then cast your vote and it will be tallied as such" Sam said closing the conversation on if Harry should be let into the pack or not.

"I don't want to be a bother" Harry said quietly, which had the whole pack including Emily looking at Harry and the tears that ran down his face. He didn't realize that he was causing such a rift between the pack.

"Harry" Paul said running over and pulling the small teen into his arms. He would be damned if he allowed Jacob Black to hurt Harry the way that he seemed to be doing so now.

"I'm sorry, just I'm sorry" Harry said before breaking out of Paul's grip and running for the door and the forest behind the Reservation.

"Harry!" Paul called out dashing outside trying to keep up with the small teen.

"No, no, no" Harry said running as fast as he could. He wouldn't go through this again, he just couldn't do this again.

"Harry!" Paul called out before shifting and catching up with the small teen and then jumping on him and pulling him down.

"Leave me alone" Harry said from the ground with Paul now sitting next to him.

"I won't, don't you listen to Jacob he's just a puppy and doesn't know anything about how the pack works"

"But he ….."

"No listen, he's been harping about letting that what do you call her? Cunt, Bella Swan into the pack since he shifted. She isn't an imprint of anyone in the pack and has as of yet shown that she deserves to be let into the pack and the pack lifestyle that we have"

"Paul" Harry croaked before crawling into the other man's lap and then basking in the warmth that Paul had, it was rare that he had any sort of contact with people since most of the time it was his Uncle and his belt or his cousin Dudley and the Smelting stick that he got since attending the school of the same name.

"You're okay, I'll protect you until my dying day" Paul promised Harry and that was how Sam and the rest of the pack found the pair of them. It was then that Jacob saw how hurtful his words had been to the small teen.

"I'm sorry Harry, I really am" Jacob said from his standing position, he would prove to the small teen that there were no ill feelings about him becoming an honorary pack member, no he just felt as if Bella should be a part of the pack since she was a good friend to him. Harry shook his head, he wasn't going to listen to what Jacob had to say, it seemed that everyone picked Bella Swan over him, maybe he should disappear from everyone's life and things would be so much easier for everyone.

"Let's go to the medicine man, he should be able to tell if Harry is pack or not" Sam said closing the subject and then watching as Paul lifted Harry up and walked with him naked to the medicine man. The pack followed in Sam's and Paul's wake wanting to know if Harry truly could be part of the pack or not. They all knew that he had been good friends with the vampires but they also knew that Harry would never turn his back on them even if the vampires decided to change their minds on their friendship with the small teen.

.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sam Uley" the medicine man greeted the alpha pack werewolf.

"Sir" Sam greeted the old man, before bowing his head a bit. It was then that the medicine man took notice of Harry in Paul's arms.

"Is he hurt?" The medicine man asked, he knew that not to be the case but he wanted to make sure.

"No, but it seems that there are some in this pack that do not believe he is pack" Sam explained before he was beckoned into the medicine man's small home, the rest of the pack entering after him.

"Set him down here" the man said pointing to a small couch in the living room. Harry whimpered and held onto Paul even more as the other man tried to leave.

"Stay" the medicine man said looking at Paul with a critical eye, no this was not imprint but he could tell there was a serious connection between the pair; something that would never break even in the harshest of trials. Paul took a seat on the couch and held Harry as if his life depended on it. He would kill Jacob for saying what he had, but he would do that later while Harry didn't need him but for right now he would stay with the small teen.

"What do you wish to know alpha Uley?"

"Is he pack?" Sam asked and watched as the medicine man looked at small teen critically.

"He is" the medicine man answered after a beat, there was no denying that the small teen was part of the pack. He wasn't sure how it had happened since he could tell the small teen would never be an imprint for anyone in the pack but he was still part of the pack. It was then that Jacob decided to open his big mouth, he may have been sorry for the words he had spoken but he still thought that Bella should at least have the chance of being judged of being an imprint or pack member to some extent.

"How? I mean that's so not fair. Bella should at least get the same chance he's getting"

"Jacob Black shut the fuck up" Paul said angry at Jacob's words. The boy just would not give up that Bella Swan meant something to the pack, what he didn't know but he was certain that if she was given the chance she would prove that she was not worthy of being let into the pack.

"Yeah" most of the pack said in agreement. They too tired of hearing about how great Bella Swan was and what the pair of them had done when the girl deemed herself worthy of visiting the shape-shifting werewolf.

"Ms. Swan is not pack and will never be pack, know that Jacob Black" the medicine man said, he too had heard and seen the girl that the boy spoke about and he had known the moment he had seen her that she would only cause trouble in the long run and it seemed she had started her reign of trouble. Jacob was taken aback by the medicine man's words, he figured that the old man would at least give Bella a chance, but it seemed that the old man had formed a conclusion about his friend and it wasn't in her or his' favor.

"Now the young man in Paul's arms is pack. He would kill for his pack, of that I already know" the medicine man explained before leaving the room and coming back with a small box. He had rarely had to use the items in the box, but now that the vampire population had come back for a second time, the items in the box needed to be used once again.

"Here, let us begin" the medicine man said before going over to where Harry was curled up in Paul's lap not at all worried about Paul being naked.

"Harry" the medicine man called to the small teen. He knew he had to be careful on using Harry's real first and last name since he had magic in his veins and he had been notified by the U.S. Department of Magical Law Enforcement about how Harry Potter had disappeared and it seemed a worldwide search had begun for the small teen. Oh he knew who he was staring at, for sure, but he would be damned to turn the small teen in. Even if there was a huge reward for finding him, no he was part of the La Push Pack and he wasn't going to turn one of the pack members in for nothing.

"Harry" the medicine man called out again this time getting the attention of the small teen.

"Sir" Harry answered looking at the medicine man, which was now eye level with him.

"Sit up for a moment; I have something to give you" Harry did as he was told and watched as the old man pulled out what looked to be some sort of leather strip with a clasp of a wolf's head and a loop on the other side.

"What's that?" Harry asked, the man shouldn't be giving him anything, he wasn't worthy of being part of the pack, no it seemed that even Bella Swan beat him to that yet again.

"Your pack band"

"But I'm not pack" Harry said confused, how could he be getting a pack band when he wasn't pack.

"Oh you are, oh you are…Mr... Potter" the medicine man said making Harry jerk up and stare at the man scared. He didn't want to go back, he couldn't go back at least not yet.

"How"

"Ley lines" the medicine man answered for Harry's unasked question.

"You won't send me back" Harry whispered, and the other man shook his head. Of course he wouldn't turn Harry in, he had caused a huge change in Paul since the other man had met him just a couple of days ago which in his book was a good thing.

"Shall we?" The medicine man asked before Harry stuck out his arm and when watched as the bracelet seemed to melt into his skin and the image of jumping wolves circled Harry's right wrist.

"What the…." Paul, Sam and most of the pack said surprised by what they had just seen happen.

"Should he truly not be pack the bracelet would have never done as it had" the medicine man explained. Emily had something similar on her left wrist since she was Sam's imprint, but Harry's was on the right wrist because he was not the imprint of a pack member, no he was just a pack member instead, that was something different. Oh the vampires wouldn't like this one bit when they found out, but they would have to wait to see what happened when it did happen. Even this had Jacob saying nothing; he knew that such things Bella probably wouldn't be able to accomplish what Harry and Emily had already accomplish.

"See Harry" Paul said showing the small teen his wrist and watching as the wolves danced around his wrist and howled at the moon that had begun to show outside.

"Pack?" Harry said, he felt like was a small child again trying to win the affections of his relatives.

"Pack, now come lover" Paul said pulling Harry to him closer and taking in the hope that had entered the younger man's eyes.

"Take care of him" the medicine man said watching as Paul pushed past the rest of the pack and made his way to his home where he would watch over Harry as the small teen slept, something that he could tell the other boy needed.

"Jacob follow me" Sam demanded of the latest addition to the pack. Jacob could tell that Sam was very unhappy with him, and he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it once it got around the Reservation what he had said about Harry and his status with the pack. For the rest of the night Paul laid in bed with Harry, running his hand through Harry's hair and making sure that no nightmares came because of Jacob's stupid words. The next morning had Harry waking up to Paul's arms wrapped around him, he wasn't sure how they got like this but he was pretty sure that something major had happened the night before.

"You awake now lover?" Paul asked pulling Harry back down and kissing him on the neck and then nipping make sure that the mark that had been there the day before stuck for another day.

"Yes, let me cook you breakfast" Harry said not at all worried about going to school that day. He had taken in enough of the Bella and Edward show for the rest of the week and it was a good thing that it was Friday. That way it would give him the weekend to regroup and prepare himself for the weeks beyond.

"No, you need" Paul said before yawning and checking the time. He was so glad he had today off as well, that way he could take care of Harry for the day before heading back to work.

"No, I should"

"You don't have to always cook for me. Just lay here and relax" Paul said smiling at Harry, which made the other boy blush, there was just something about Paul that always made his heart beat a bit faster, maybe it was the easy smile or the way he made him laugh but whatever it was made him feel a bit better about being rejected by Edward and the rest of the coven.

"Well I need to get ready for school"

"Nope, not today"

"Paul" Harry said, he couldn't always opt out of going to school when something bad had happened.

"No, you had a rough night"

"I may have but I still have to go to school"

"If you go then I just simply must drop you off and pick you up. I want nothing to happen to you" Paul said, he had promised to protect Harry and he meant to keep that promise.

"Fine, fine" Harry said before getting out of bed and then taking a shower and coming out of the bathroom with his jeans on and no shirt.

"Need a shirt" Paul asked before looking through his dresser to find a shirt that would at least semi-fit Harry.

"I can shrink it you know" Harry said when it looked like Paul was coming up empty handed on a shirt for him to wear.

"That's right" Paul said before pulling out one of his uniform shirts, the only clean item in his house at the moment.

"Here you be, I planned to do laundry today, but this is all I have clean"

"This is fine; I'll just wear my long sleeve shirt under it, no big deal" Harry said before putting his long sleeve shirt on and then buttoning up the uniform shirt and then putting his shoes on.

"My homework"

"We'll swing by your house"

"Then just drop me off"

"No, I'm taking you to school today end of story"

"Fine, fine" Harry said secretly glad that someone cared about him the way that it seemed that Paul cared about him. Soon you could hear the rev of a motorcycle on the Reservation, which was an amazement all its own. The ride to Harry's house was quick since Paul never went the speed limit. Harry jumped off the motorcycle and grabbed his bag that had been sitting at the front door of the house. He had moved it there when Paul came to pick him up yesterday. It was as Harry was leaving that he noticed that there was something off about the area surrounding his house, he wasn't sure what it was but something was off. Harry jogged back outside and to were Paul sat on his motorcycle watching the door carefully, he too could feel that something was off around Harry's house but whatever it had been seemed like it had been many hours ago, it was nothing new that was for sure.

"Okay" Harry said slipping his bag over one shoulder, putting his helmet back on and then jumping on the back of the bike. In no time flat the pair arrived to Forks High School's student parking lot, and it was then that they saw that the Cullens along with Bella Swan had already made it to school, Bella seemed to be basking in the fact that she was the topic of conversation on most if not all of the students lips, that was until Paul pulled up and Harry jumped off clearly wearing some of Paul's clothes. It was then that Edward saw red; there was no way in Earth he was going to allow Harry to continue down the path that he seemed to be going down.

"Does he have that, that 'dog's' shirt on?" Rosalie asked in a low tone that only the other vampires and probably Paul could hear.

"Yes, I think he does" Jasper answered back, something was going on he could feel it but he didn't know what quite yet.

"What does he think he is doing? What is he trying to prove?"

"That dear Rose is something that we will have to figure out" Emmett said liking the idea of giving Harry the third degree about this latest change that had occurred.

"They are going to try and corner you" Paul warned Harry.

"Let them, I have nothing to say to them, there is nothing that needs to be said anyway. They made their choice" Harry said knowing that the vampires could hear him.

"What is he talking about?" Jasper asked confused, he was getting so many emotions pushed at him that he was uncertain on who was feeling what.

"Edward" Bella whined just as the bell to signal that students had 5 minutes to get to class rang.

"I'll be here to pick you up" Paul promised before shooing Harry and then leaving out of the parking lot to go home and make room for Harry in the small house he had. Maybe Harry could help him around the house, in regards to fixing up the place, he was only so handy and some of the repairs were way beyond his scope, so he was hoping that Harry would be able to repair some of the broken items in the house any possibly on the Reservation. Harry made his way to his first class passing by the vampires and letting them scent the air around him along with the red mark that was still on his neck from Paul.


	6. Chapter 6

"Edward" Bella said now stomping her foot like a small child, to which had Edward being dragged by Bella to her first class of the day and then he sped off to his first class of the day. This would give him time to think about what he really was feeling about Harry. For the rest of the day Edward walked around in a fog, confused over what he had seen in the parking lot with Harry and Paul and wondering why he felt so jealous about the whole scene.

"We need to talk to Carlisle" Edward said before tending to his girlfriend, something which was becoming more and more of an irritant then that of a joy. All of the coven members agreed and Edward was off to walking Bella to her first class of the day, of which Edward tried to listen into the student's thoughts about Harry arriving on the back of a motorcycle with one of the La Push Indians.

'I can't believe it! I just simply can't believe it!' someone thought before another thought entered his mind.

'I swear he does it to show off. First the Cullens and now one of the La Push Indians; how does he do it?'

"Edward" Bella said once they had arrived to her classroom, it seemed that Edward was 100 miles away and she was beginning to wonder what it was that had changed in the other teen.

"Bella" Edward answered back; he had been so busy listening to the thoughts that were running through the minds of the Forks students that he had totally forgotten about Bella.

"What's up with you? You seem to be 100 miles away"

"Sorry, I have a lot on my mind." Edward answered before giving Bella a strained smile and then making his way over to his class, there he would be able to concentrate fully on the thoughts that were entering his mind. Edward decided that he would talk to Harry during Biology class; he needed to warn the small teen that taking up with the werewolves was not a good idea. They were a brash bunch and they tended not to care about who they hurt or what they did.

And so time passed and Harry for the most part stayed away from the Cullens and Bella if at all possible. He spent as much time as he could with the pack but since he lived in between the two groups it isn't a short ride to either location, to his Paul took full advantage of. One day he showed up with a large bag and had moved into Harry's guest bedroom. Harry on the other hand was happy for once in his life. There was a group of people that wanted him, and he had the moving tattoo to show it. He had been sure that he wouldn't be considered pack but when the medicine man had placed the bracelet on his wrist he had known instantly that he was going to be accepted as pack. He didn't know how he knew but he knew, he also knew that Paul would go to the end of the Earth to protect him, something that he had never had before. He had thought that the Cullens would have done that, but he always felt like he was on pins and needles when dealing with the vampires, feeling as if he had to prove himself to the vampires which had led to him doing things that he hadn't wanted to do in the first place.

"Harry, hi! How are you? Who was that guy that dropped you off?" Harry's lab partner asked before beginning to review what they had done yesterday with the small teen. Harry hardly even had time to talk before the boy was going into his notes from the day before. Harry watched the door, wanting to make sure that Edward didn't have a chance to come over and question him about what he was doing with Paul and to warn him about the hazards of the 'wet dog'. Edward arrived to the classroom and started to make his way over to where Harry sat but got stopped by Bella entering the room and stopping Edward in his quest to speak to Harry. Maybe he would get the chance at lunch or maybe he could send Jasper over to the small teen and see what sort of feelings he was getting from him.

"Edward" Bella said put out, she wasn't sure what was going on but she was beginning to get angry that Edward seemed to not be paying enough attention to her as he had been doing before.

"Bella" Edward said before taking a seat and staring at Harry for most of the class time. Bella on the other hand noticed nothing and continued her steady stream of dialogue for which Edward was grateful, that meant that he didn't have to pay attention. She seemed to be talking about going to Port Angeles for dress shopping.

"Do you think that Alice would like to go?" Bella asked Edward, which seemed to jar the other teen out of his quest to figure out what it was that Harry thought he was doing with the La Push werewolves.

"You should ask her at lunch" Edward answered just as the bell to signal the end of the period rang.

"I'll see you at lunch" Bella said before giving a coy smile and walking off to her final class before lunch. Harry too was making his way to his next class while trying to escape the Cullens since it seemed that they were on all the routes that he usually took to get to his classes. Harry got lucky since it seemed that Rosalie was the one person he had to elude and since he was certain the girl didn't like him to begin with she would be easy to get away from. Harry slid into the classroom just as Rosalie noticed the smell of wet dog.

"Damn it Harry" Rosalie cursed before going to report that she had been unable to corner the small youth and question him about what he thought he was doing. By lunch time Harry and the Cullens were on edge, this would probably be the only time today that they would be able to corner Harry and try and figure out what was going on. Harry peaked into the cafeteria and noticed that Bella seemed to be sitting with Jessica talking about who knew what, while the Cullens sat in their usual spot looking casual for the most part but Harry could tell the little things that normal people wouldn't notice, like how on edge Jasper seemed and how Edward's eyes had turned a darker shade of amber letting the small teen know that Edward was angry, no that wasn't the right word for what Edward was. He was livid, it was the only word that Harry could pick that described what he saw from Edward's eyes. Harry took his seat at the table he had eaten at yesterday and waited for one of the vampires to make their way over to him. He had no doubt that they would try and corner him at lunch, but he also knew an exit strategy should he need to use it.

"Harry" Jasper said being the one who had been elected to go and talk to the small teen, hoping that he would be able to get some sort of read on Harry since Edward was unable to get into Harry's thoughts.

"Jasper" Harry answered back before taking a bite of an apple and chewing on it. It seemed that they had sent Jasper to figure out what he was doing with the werewolves of the territory.

"What are you doing?"

"Currently I am eating lunch, is there something else you wanted?"

"You know what I mean" Jasper said taking a seat at the table where Harry sat at alone, the Forks Rumor Mill noticed immediately and speculation began on what was going on between Harry and the Cullen family.

"No, I don't. Look you all made it very clear where I stood in your book, so why don't you all go back to Bella and leave me alone" Harry said quite proud of the fact that his voice didn't shake and that he was firm in what he had said. Jasper had nothing to say, for there was nothing he could say. Yes they had made a choice, a choice that all of them were beginning to wonder if it was a good idea, Bella seemed more hassle than she was worth even if she was Edward's singer or mate. By the end of lunch Jasper could honestly tell Edward that he thought that picking Bella over Harry was a bad idea, there was just something calming about the boy that made even his thirst for blood much less than usual.

"We talk to Carlisle when we get home" Edward said, there had to be a way to apologize to Harry and have him come back into their lives, but he wasn't sure if the smaller teen would allow them back into his life.

"Carlisle" they all agreed before getting up and throwing away the food they had and then continuing to the next class, Edward left Bella in the cafeteria, which since the Rumor Mill into a tizzy, Edward never left without Bella since their coming out day. For the rest of the day Harry seemed to avoid the Cullens and Bella to which he was thankful, it wasn't until the final class let out that Harry was worried that the Cullens would try and corner him again and question him about what he was doing with Paul and it seemed he was right for standing at most of the exits was a Cullen looking over the student population for him. Harry used the same tactic he had the day before and snuck around a building and to where Paul sat waiting on the motorcycle for him to hop on.

"Go" Harry shouted to Paul who was then speeding out of the parking lot and towards Harry's house.

"So how was school?" Paul asked after they arrived to Harry's house and made their way in.

"It was school, Cullens trying to get answers, you know the usual"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…Cullens getting information?" Paul asked, he had figured that the Cullens might try something but he hadn't thought that they would do so, so publicly.

"Sent Jasper to talk to me about what I was doing. They made their choice" Harry reminded himself, he had to keep telling himself or he knew he would cave and that was something that he wasn't going to allow to happen.

"I assume that it is only a matter of time before they come visiting" Paul said knowing that it would be a scene if the vampires caught sight of him coming out of Harry's house. It was then he got a smile on his face.

"I have a plan lover" Paul said before pulling Harry to him, there was just something about the small teen that sent him into this sort of mood.

"Should I worry" Harry said being allowed to become flush with Paul's body.

"I say we give them something to talk about" Paul said before laughing again. Oh he knew the leeches would be over to Harry's house soon, he just wasn't sure when that would happen.

"Well"

"I say a certain werewolf exiting the house in the morning and you possibly having a few more marks on your neck should enrage them enough to get their heads out of their asses"

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

"No, but this should put things in perspective for them"

"But…." Harry was afraid to say what he was thinking. Had Paul tired of him already? Was he not worth the shape-shifting werewolf's time any longer?

"You will always be pack, but I also know that you mean more to those leeches than they know"

"So you won't leave me"

"Never, same goes with everyone else. Jacob may be being as ass but even he realizes that you are more than Bella Swan ever could be." Harry looked at Paul and gave his answer.

"What do we do?"

"I think I'll stick around here for a couple of days and I'm sure they will come for a visit sooner or later"

"Then what? I have to deal with irate vampires, as if I want to do that" Harry argued with Paul, he was sort of looking forward to the look on the Cullen's faces when Paul exited his house.

"Then maybe they will figure out that Bella Swan isn't worth their time"

"I highly doubt that happening" Harry said since he firmly believed he wasn't worth the bother.

"I do, now go. I gotta head back home and get a few things to stay over for a few days" Paul said before going over and kissing Harry on the cheek. He would protect this small teen even if meant braking away from the pack, something that he knew he didn't need to worry about. Once Paul was gone, Harry made his way to his office to work on the homework that he had been given for when he had been out. Harry was quite happy to sit in his homey room working on such mundane things as homework, he didn't have to worry about things like leading an army against a Dark Lord, no all he had to do was homework and act as if he was a normal person doing normal things.

It was three weeks later that Paul's plan took shape, he was on his way to work while Harry stood outside yelling at him, when the pair noticed that the Cullens were leaning against the silver Volvo that was Edward's car. Harry paid no real mind, instead yelling at Paul to be safe and to at least try not to get a speeding ticket on his way to work.

"Harry" Edward called out, he had told Bella that he would be unable to pick her up today since he had something that he needed to take care of, she had of course made a huge deal about it but finally caved when she realized that Edward wasn't going to buckle. Harry gave the vampire a look before turning around and acting as if he hadn't seen them. The coven of vampires stood there waiting for Harry to come back, they figured that once he was ready he would make his way over to them for a ride, sadly though Harry made his way to his car and stood there looking at the vampires.

"Is there something you want?" Harry finally asked, Paul had been right that the coven of vampires would make an appearance at his house, what he hadn't expected, was it to be so soon.

"Harry" this was Alice, she had seen something last night dealing with Bella and she felt horrible for even thinking that the girl would be able to understand them and their lifestyle.

"What is it that you want?" Harry asked, he didn't quite understand why they were there, they should be with Bella and all the drama that came with her.

"We're here to give you a ride to school"

"I don't need a ride; I have a vehicle to which I can drive myself to school in"

"Harry" the group said before giving Harry a look.

"Look, just leave me alone. Go to Bella…." Harry said before jumping into his car, he was having hard time maintaining his sanity.

"Harry" Edward said, he figured he was probably the one person that would be able talk to the small teen about what he was doing.

"No" Harry said through the door of the car, he was *not* going to allow this to happen.

"Harry, please" and it was then that Harry could tell that Edward was truly in pain for some reason.

"What" Harry said having rolled the window down and talking only to Edward.

"I…we need to talk to you. Apologize for what has happened"

"What's changed? Why the apology?"

"Harry" Edward said, he had spoken with Carlisle at length about things and it was then that he realized that Bella Swan wasn't what he wanted, no he knew now that Bella Swan was just his singer and that the girl was now in the way to get to his mate. Now he clearly understood his feelings and what he felt for Harry vs. what he felt for Bella. The feeling was totally different and he could honestly say that he was willing to kill Paul if the werewolf hurt his mate in any way. Yes, he had figured out that Harry was his mate but he also knew he had a long road ahead of him to prove to the small teen that he was what he needed, what he wanted in his life.

"Edward, go back to Bella and leave me alone"

"I can't do that Harry, is there any way we can talk? Something? Anything?" Edward pleaded with the small teen, he would do anything to spend time with his mate now, and he had been so foolish to believe that Bella was his mate and not just his singer. Harry looked at Edward critically and he could tell that the vampire seemed to not be the same as he had been before.

"Fine, after school"

"Now"

"We have school to go to and I refuse to miss another day, we have a test in Biology next week and I need all the help I can get" Harry said, that was the one thing his lab partner didn't do, help explain what the teacher had been talking about or what had happened in the lab.

"I'll tutor you" Edward offered, he would do anything at this point to be closer to Harry. Harry looked at Edward and decided if he was willing to be that close to the vampire after the pain they had just put him through.

"Please Harry" Harry nodded his head at Edward's plea, he would possibly give the vampire another chance, it would take a lot for Edward and the rest of the Cullens back in his life, and he knew there would be major issues once they found out about the pack band that he had on his right wrist, but he would in no way would stop being friends or stop associating with the werewolves because Edward and the Cullens didn't like them. They had been there for him when the Cullens had thrown him to the side for a plain cunt of a girl that had Jacob wrapped around her little finger. Something that Harry knew would cause trouble for the shape-shifting werewolf sooner rather than later.

"I still want you to ride with us, is that okay?" Edward asked; he hoped that Harry would say yes, but he was unable to tell what would come out of the small teen's mouth now, things had changed in the small teen and he hated the fact that he and his family were the cause of those changes.

"No, I think I'll take my own car thank you" Harry answered, he in no way wanted to be so near all of the Cullens. He knew there would be questions and he was at this point unwilling to give any answers that they sought.

"Please" Edward pleaded, he needed Harry near him now that he had spoken to Carlisle and Carlisle had told him that he didn't care who it was that made Edward happy, just so long as he was happy. Harry looked into Edward's eyes and he could tell that for some unknown reason Edward needed this, so he had to make a split second decision and he wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand he wanted to be back into the fold with the Cullens but on the other hand they had been the ones to throw their friendship and relationship away and all for a girl that Harry knew would only be in their lives for a moment in time.

"No" Harry said, he wasn't going to buckle that easily on this. He knew that this would allow the vampires to take him anywhere they wanted once school was over, if they made it to school in the first place. Edward nodded his head in acceptance and then walked back over to the car, he had hoped that Harry would allow them to take him to school but he could understand why he was cautious about it, and there was no telling what they would do with him once they had him in the car.

"We'll see you at school then" Alice chirped trying to sound positive about things, she knew that it would take time for Harry to allow them back into his life, but the up side to it was that Harry would allow them back in his life something that they all still feared would change at a moment's notice if they screwed up by saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing. The Cullens soon got into the car and then Edward backed out of the driveway and then waited for Harry to make his way out of the driveway and to school. When the pair of car arrived quickly after each other people began to wonder what was going on, since Bella was clearly hanging out with Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton in the parking lot. Bella narrowed her eyes when she saw the cars arrive, Edward had told her that he couldn't pick her up today but it looked as if they had stopped by Griffin's house to pick him up, what was up with that? Oh she would find out, if it was the last thing she did today, after all she was partners with Edward in Biology and she knew she could get things out of the boy that most people couldn't or so she thought.

"Harry" Edward said getting out of his car quickly and making his way over to the car door of Harry's car. This set her even more on edge, what was going on? Had they gone to *his* house instead of picking her up? She had, had to get a ride with Jessica and Mike to school since Jacob had her truck, it had been acting up the last few times she attempted to use it and so she had called Jacob hoping he would be able to fix the issue, the truck had yet to come back and Edward knew she had no real way to make it to school if he didn't take her.

"I got it" Harry said while struggling to keep the door out of Edward's hands.

"No, I have it" Edward said easily grabbing the door and holding it open for Harry. This of course made Harry want to scream, he wasn't helpless and he certainly didn't feel like being treated as such.

"What are you trying to prove Edward? What do you want?" Harry whispered to the forever teen, only getting a look on the other's face that made Harry wonder about the thoughts that were running through the other's head.

"I want to prove to you that I'm sorry, that what I did was wrong that you are what I want, what I need" Edward said putting his feeling out there for Harry to figure out what they meant to him.

"What about Bella?"

"I misread the signals, she is nothing more than a singer"

"It's going to take a lot more than an apology for me to believe you. You all kicked me out knowing my past and the problems I have with being alone" Harry pointed out to Edward and the rest of the Cullens since he knew they could hear him.

"Please just let me, us prove that you are what we want back"

"Even if that means getting rid of Bella" Harry asked, he wasn't going to play second place to the girl that was using the family to get what she wanted out of her life, which were expensive things and complete devotion, which she had, had with Edward for a while but now things were changing and she didn't like it one bit.

"She won't be part of my life for too much longer, know that. Now may I at least walk you to your first class of the day?" Edward asked forgetting that they were in the parking lot and most of the students were watching what was going on between Edward and Harry now. First the small teen arrives on the back of a motorcycle with one of the La Push Indians and now he had Edward at his car door talking to him in low tones while his girlfriend stood with her two good friends watching the whole scene.

"Fine" Harry said before grabbing his bag out of the car and then getting out. Edward immediately took Harry's bag from him and carried it on his shoulder, as he usually did before Bella showed up.

"What in the hell is going on?" Bella asked she hadn't ever seen how Harry and Edward had acted before her arrival but what she was seeing was making her see red. How dare that *boy* get all of Edward's attention.

"That's normal" Jessica said, she along with Mike had seen this behavior between the pair for quite some time, at least until Bella had shown up and changed the game.

"No it isn't, a guy should not be carrying another guy's bag"

"Edward's always done that for Harry, it's just the way things are" Jessica said with a shrug of her shoulders, this might actually be the perfect opportunity to move in on Edward if Bella went off the deep end about Edward carrying Harry's bag for him to his first class of the day.

"Well that's got to stop" Bella told the pair and she was then off to following Harry and Edward as the forever teen talked to Harry about things that he had been unable to talk to Bella about since deciding to take a chance and begin dating her.

"Bella I don't think that's such a good idea to stop" Mike said, even though he liked Bella a lot he knew that she would be in for a rude awakening if she thought was going to tell Edward and/or Harry what to do, no she would probably be on the end of something not pleasant and hopefully then she would understand that the relationship between the Cullens and Harry was a special one, one that no one bothered to deal with.

"He's my boyfriend and he's acting like that, that *boy* is his boyfriend or something" Bella said disgusted with what she was seeing. Now she had nothing against gay people, but she refused to think that her boyfriend was acting like he was with Harry.

"That's the way it's always been" Mike said hoping that maybe Bella would find what Edward was doing offensive and break things off with him and then he could move in for the kill so-to-speak.

"Well it's going to change that is for sure" Bella said now stomping over to where Edward was attempting to carry a conversation with Harry but kept getting nowhere since the other teen wasn't really sure what he wished to share with the forever teen.

"Harry, please talk to me about anything, everything, whatever I don't care"

"Edward what do you want to talk about? Your girlfriend? What I have been doing after I got kicked out? Life?" Harry threw back at Edward, what was there to talk about that was a safe topic while in the company of the teenage population of Forks.

"Edward" Bella called out making Harry shake his head and stop since Edward had his bag.

"Bella"

"Can we talk…..alone" Bella said giving Harry a pointed glance.

"Can it wait? I'm busy" Edward said he didn't want to part with Harry now that he was so near to him, and all for Bella to probably whine at him about not picking her up and having to ride with Jessica and Mike to school, the on again off again dating pair.

"Walking him to class! You want me to wait because you are walking him to class?" Bella said bringing even more attention to them. It would seem that the quiet let down that Edward had planned wasn't going to happen, instead Bella wanted a scene and she seemed dead set on it too.

"Yes, I am walking Harry to class. I usually do this" Edward said quietly but it was then that Bella went off.

"But I'm your girlfriend, you should be walking me to class, you should be taking me to school not, not *him*" Bella said a sneer on her face, she had never liked Harry much and this just enraged her so much more.

"That you may be, but Harry is my friend, my best friend and I have been remiss in my duties as a friend and best friend at that"

"Remiss? Remiss!" Bella shouted, this was not how she planned things to go, she had thought she would go over bat her doe eyes and Edward would forget all about Harry but it seemed the opposite had occurred instead Edward seemed stuck to Harry like glue and seemed quite willing to leave her alone for the time being. It was then that the 5 minute bell rang, letting the students know that they should start to head to class.

"This isn't over Edward" Bella said before stomping away and then making her way to her first class of the day. She would make Edward pay once he realized what he had done to her, oh there would have to be an expensive gift in the apology for sure before she would even consider allowing Edward back into her life. It was just too bad that it would never occur, but she would have to find that out later.

"Mr. Griffin and Mr. Cullen" the first period teacher greeted the pair; it seemed that whatever had been going on had passed since Edward had walked Harry to his first class of the day as per normal. Of course he would find out full details at lunch, but he could honestly say that the pair looked happy to be back to normal.

"Sir" Harry answered before waiting for Edward to give him his bag and when he did it was one of only a few times that he had been able to touch the vampire's hand in a long while. Ever since Bella had arrived Edward had limited his contact with him and it had hurt to not be able to touch the forever teen.

"Thank you Edward" Harry said thanking the vampire and hoping that Edward hadn't noticed the spark that had happened when they had touched. Harry had only read about such a thing happening in books, he now knew for sure that the Cullens were meant to be in his life but he had to make sure that they would want that even though his magic seemed to be accepting of the vampire as its power mate, someone that could ground his magic should it get out of control which it tended to do when he was stressed or felt threatened. Edward on the other hand was basking in the attention that Harry was giving him, he would of course have to deal with Bella but he figured he would do that as soon as he got a chance to be alone with her while outside of school. He knew she would make a scene and that was something that he didn't want, for he knew she would say nasty things about Harry and he wasn't willing to have the small teen witness the nastiness she was bound to say and do.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'll get you for second period" Edward promised before leaving Harry to enter the class room. Harry just shook his head and wondered what he had gotten himself into, he had planned to keep the Cullens out of his life, but it seemed that his magic and Fate where playing games with him yet again. Harry knew that there would be no way to keep the Cullens out of his life now, Edward had been recognized as his power mate, something that only truly powerful wizards and witches had, he had hoped that he wouldn't be one of those people but Fate did always love to play with him. For most of first period Harry was in another world, trying to recall what he had read about power mates and if there was any way that he could avoid the bonding that was bound to happen to the pair. When the bell rang for the end of class, Harry was glad that he knew Latin so well or he would have been lost as to what had been taught today. Harry packed up his things and made his way to the classroom door figuring that Edward wouldn't show since he had been walking to class with Bella.

"Harry" Edward said in greeting before grabbing his bag and walking side-by-side with the small teen. He had spent his first period trying to figure out any sort of safe topics and he had only came up with one but even that could backfire on him.

"I noticed that you made some changes to your house" Edward ventured, he didn't want to walk with Harry in silence, he missed the small teen's voice and he would do just about anything to listen to his voice again. Harry raised his eyebrows; Edward had been to his house which made him wonder how long and when he had been to his house, he had after all just made those changes fairly recently.

"Yes, I thought I would make it suit me a bit better" Harry said, it had been mostly Alice that had picked out the items in the house, Edward had just looked and agreed or disagreed when he knew he would be able to get away with it.

"I like it" Edward told Harry just as they pulled up to the Biology building and classroom.

"Thanks, I'm pretty proud of it" Harry said proud of his house and what it looked like now. He wasn't going to be foolish and allow Alice to make changes to it now, instead she would just have to live with what he had done or she need not be there.

"Edward" Bella called out when she saw that *her* boyfriend was walking and talking yet again to Harry for the second time today. Edward always usually walked with her to class but it seemed that for some reason Edward seemed to have forgotten that she even existed. Edward sighed something that surprised Harry, he had rarely ever seen the forever teen sigh and the only time he did was when Alice was up to her usual tricks of hiding something that she just saw.

"Bella" Edward answered; it was after all rude to not respond to someone when they called your name.

"What's the deal? You usually come and get me, what is going on? We need to talk, seriously" Bella said giving Edward a look that the forever teen figured was supposed to make him worry. Maybe this would be his opportunity to break things off with her, but he highly doubted that she would do such a thing since he had been getting from Jessica's thoughts about how Bella was certain that she was going to marry him and that she would live the life that she deserved to live, with beautiful and designer things and Edward's complete devotion.

"I needed to speak with Harry" Edward said, there hadn't been much talking but being in the presence of Harry had been enough for him.

"Well why didn't you just tell me that? I mean I thought that you were avoiding me or something" Bella said looking at Edward with a hurt look in her eyes. Edward had to make a decision on what he would do, should he break things off with her now or should he wait?

"Harry, I need to speak with Bella alone"

"That's fine" Harry said shrugging his shoulders it wasn't like he cared what Edward was about to tell Bella, hell he was still uncertain on if he wanted Edward and the Cullens in his life again to begin with. Edward may be his power mate but that in no way meant that he had to follow protocol on what would happen next, he was after all Harry Potter and nothing ever went as planned when he was involved. Harry made his way into the classroom and sat at his bench with his lab partner who was busy doing something that Harry had no clue on. When the pair came in, it looked as if Bella was about to rage and she had her eyes set on him. Meanwhile Edward was speaking to the teacher and trying to get something changed.

"Mr. Griffin, you will be switching partners with Mr. Cullen. Ms. Swan, you will now be partnered with Mr. Kwon" it was then that Bella glared even more at Harry. He hadn't done a thing and yet he knew she would do all in her power to make his life a living hell for whatever it was that Edward had said to her.

"What did you do?" Harry asked as he took a seat next to Edward.

"Broke up with Bella and asked to be switched because of that" Edward said calmly, he knew that Harry would be surprised by the information but she had pretty much pushed him to the limit on what he could take from the girl, especially after figuring out that Harry was his mate, not Bella.

"You did what? Why? I thought she was your mate?" Harry asked quietly, so as to not draw attention to the pair of them. It was futile anyway since all of the room were watching the pair of them and the now glaring Bella Swan. Oh she was not happy and the moment she could get Harry alone, the sooner she would have Edward crawling back to her.

"I broke up with Bella, she's been pushy and overbearing and just a pain and I figured out that she was my singer, not my mate" Edward whispered to Harry right before the bell rang for class to begin. Throughout the whole class the students watched as Edward and Harry worked together easily while Bella sat at her lab bench with her lab partner, arms crossed and looking anything but pleased. By the end of class the room was so tense that when the bell rang most of the students jumped, surprised that the end of class had come so quickly or in some cases not quick enough.

"Come on you" Edward said grabbing Harry's bag and walking him to his last class before lunch. Harry was really beginning to feel uncomfortable with all of the attention he seemed to be getting now. Before it hadn't been bad since it was normal to see the pair of them together talking about something random, or Harry with some other Cullen when Edward couldn't make it. Now though it had been a few weeks and word had traveled about the breaking up of their friendship, now though things had changed once again and the Forks Rumor Mill was working overtime.

"I'll get you for lunch"

"No need I can make it there on my own" Harry said looking around and seeing people pointing and whispering about him and Edward.

"No, I insist I'll come and get you" Edward said before turning and going to his next class, leaving Harry standing at his classroom door with his mouth hanging open, unable to rebut what Edward had said. For Harry's last class before lunch Harry spent most of his time wondering what had changed between Edward and Bella that the vampire was now trying to come back into his life. At the end of class Harry was certain that Bella had done something that showed Edward and possibly the Cullen coven how self-centered she really was, but that could only be answered by Edward and he didn't think the vampire would offer up such information quite yet.

"Ready" Edward said coming into the classroom as most of the students left the room watching Edward as he entered the room and made his way over to where Harry stood packing up the last of his things before heading to lunch.

"Um, yeah" Harry said, he had been so deep into his thought about what Bella had done to make Edward change his mind about her being his mate, that he had totally forgotten that Edward was coming to walk him to lunch.

"Forget I was coming" Edward said a bit hurt, he now sort of understood what it was like for Harry when they had basically kicked him out of their lives.

"Oh no, just thinking about something" Harry said before finishing packing up his things. He had a lot on his mind and a major concern was that of his power mate, who happen to be standing right next to him, Harry made up his mind then that he would contact the goblins and see what they had to say about power mates, and what if your mate happened to be a 100 year old vampire.

"About what?" Edward asked hoping that Harry would open up to him a bit more.

"Oh you know nothing too important"

"Why do I not believe you?"

"Because you know me so well" Harry said a small grin making its way to his face. He truly did miss Edward and the comfort that the vampire gave him; he knew for most people they tended to shy away from the vampires but for some reason the vampires drew him in made him feel wanted and needed, but then that had changed when Bella Swan had arrived on the scene; now though it seemed that things were changing once again and Harry have no idea on what was going to happen next.

"That I do, that I do" Edward said before attempting to breach the subject of Paul and what the werewolf was doing in *his* mates house.

"What was that, that werewolf doing at your house that early in the morning?"

"Oh, Paul stayed over"

"Stayed over" Edward said getting angry; his mate was laying with the enemy.

"He's got a leak in his roof and he didn't have any other place to stay, so he's staying in my guest bedroom" Harry explained not really noticing how irate that Edward had gotten when he had heard that Paul had stayed over.

"So he's just staying there until he can get his roof fixed?"

"Yeah of course, what? You thought I was sleeping with him" Harry said super offended, did Edward think that little of him? When Harry received no answer to his question he already knew the answer. Edward had thought that he was sleeping with Paul, as if he had some sort of right to dictate his life.

"Just give me my bag" Harry said grabbing his bag off of Edward's shoulder since the vampire was surprised by how quickly the other boy had moved. Harry stormed down the hallway never once looking back to see if Edward had made a move to follow or if he was still standing in the same place or not.

"Harry, wait…..wait" Edward said before putting on a burst of speed to catch up with the small teen.

"What now? Do you want to insult me some more? What, you want to say I'm sleeping with the whole pack also?"

"No, no…please Harry let me explain"

"There's nothing to explain your silence said it all"

"I just was surprised is all….."

"I don't buy it for a second"

"Okay, so to be honest I had wondered if you were laying with that wet dog"

"Paul is my friend, someone who was there for me when the people I thought cared for me pushed me aside for a girl that was just a singer" a surprised looked crossed Edward's face, he hadn't expect Harry to have a comeback to his words. Most of the time Harry had left him do the talking for the pair, but now it seemed that Harry had changed because of what he and his family had done. Harry was much more independent, something that the coven had been working on with him for quite some time but that made things harder for him since he would have to prove to Harry that they belonged together and that Bella was just a huge mistake on his and his family's part.

"I'm sorry, it's just you know I….we have a hard time being around them or people that have been around them for a long period of time."

"I know but that still doesn't give you the right to assume what I do and don't do in my own house with people that I invite in"

"You're right, and I apologize for jumping to conclusions about you and Paul" Edward said fighting hard not to call them wet dogs since Harry was a friend to one of them. The pair arrived to the cafeteria just as soon as the conversation finished. Edward pulled to a stop when he saw Bella sitting at the table with the rest of the coven members and none of them looking happy about her being at the table without Edward.

"Bella" Edward said in greeting, he wanted to know what the girl was up to but sadly he was unable to read her thoughts.

"I've been waiting for you for ages"

"Bella we have already been through this, we are no longer together so you can head on back to your table that you share with Jessica and Mike, they seem most eager to have you at their table" Bella glanced over to said table and the pair of them waved at her as if trying to get her to come and sit by her.

"They'll live"

"No, I think you need to sit with them" Edward said kindly something that he wasn't feeling at all.

"But if we don't have lunch together when will we see each other?"

"We are no longer together so we don't need to 'see' each other any longer" at that declaration Bella started crying putting on a scene hoping that Edward would buckle if things drew too much attention to the group and them in particular.

"Don't be silly, of course we are still together"

"No, I think I made it quite clear that I wish to no longer see you"

"Why, what have I done? It's Harry isn't it? Telling lies about me" Bella said glaring at Harry who really didn't want to be part of the conversation that was happening.

"This has nothing to do with Harry" Edward stated, no this had everything with Bella and how she was always picking out expensive gifts that she thought she deserved for no real reason at all.

"I'm going to uh go eat" Harry said quietly before sliding back and then disappearing into the corner he had been eating at for the past couple of days. The pair either didn't notice or didn't care that he had disappeared after things had begun to get way too heated. Soon you could hear Bella's voice yelling while Edward murmured to her in response.

"No, I won't calm down!" Bella said loving the attention she was getting from the student population of Forks and especially the attention that Edward was giving to her.

"Making a scene will only make things worse" Edward murmured at the moment not realizing that Harry had disappeared into the corner to stay well away from the row that was going on between Bella and Edward. With the thought of Bella, he began to wonder what the woman of the same name would think of her muggle counterpart, they were as different as night and day, and Harry could honestly say that he much preferred Bella Lestrange over Bella Swan, even if she was a follower of the Voldemort. The woman had a sense of self and to Harry that meant a lot, he had never really been given that option growing up, he had to always do worse than his cousin in school and when weird things happened, they were always blamed on him and even some not so weird things; but in his relatives eyes his cousin could do no wrong. Harry watched the scene as it got more and more intense and was glad to be away from the battle that seemed to be going on. For most of lunch Bella put on a show about their breakup, while Edward spoke to Bella as quietly as he could given the situation that she had put them in. When it looked as if the battle would go all the way through lunch, Harry jotted down a quick note to the goblins that he would send off as soon as he got home. He didn't think that he *had* to be with Edward for the rest of his life, but he wanted to make sure of that and he knew the goblins would tell him the truth.

"Edward!" Bella now raged when it seemed that she wasn't going to get her way on the situation. She had figured that if she put up enough of a front that Edward would back down and things would settle into what it had been before Harry had come and ruined things. She wasn't sure how it was the boy's fault she just knew that it was, and there would be hell to pay once she got him alone.

"Bella, I will say this one final time. We are not together any longer; I feel that we are much too different for each other"

"You don't know that for sure"

"I think I do" Edward responded, he knew exactly, who exactly it was that he wanted and it wasn't the plain looking girl standing in front of him.

"Can't you give us another chance? What did I do? Please" Bella said trying anything at this point to stay connected to Edward.

"No, I think we need to part ways now before anyone is hurt any more than they should be" Edward said before looking around for Harry, when he didn't find his mate immediately he began to panic, it was only Jasper calming thoughts that Harry was at the corner table eating that calmed him down and not to do something drastic like tear through the cafeteria looking for him mate.

"Fine" Bella said in a huff, she would leave things as they were now but she knew that it would be only a matter of time that Edward would come crawling back to her, she just needed a way to get that to happen. It was then that an idea popped into her head that would later have her wishing she had thought the whole plan through before going through with it. Edward on the other hand made his way right over to where Harry sat looking at his textbook for his next class and hoping that the "pop quiz" would be over things that he sort of already knew. Government was his worst class, he had been a British citizen since birth so coming to the United States and now learning their method of government gave him headaches and his teacher loved to give pop quizzes over current events nationally and globally, he was forever being called on to get the British take on one thing or another.

"You left" Edward said taking a seat next to Harry and looking over what it was that Harry seemed so intent on.

"You looked busy" Harry answered easily, Edward after all had been busy and he certainly wasn't going to be the one to stop Bella from whatever scene she wanted to make about the breakup between the pair.

"I had only wished that she wouldn't have made a scene"

"That was a given" Harry said snidely, Bella Swan may be plain but she was all about making as much of a scene when it involved Edward.

"Too true, what is it that you are studying" Edward said by way of changing subject, he didn't want to talk about Bella to Harry while on school grounds, he knew that if he said anything that it would bound to be in the Rumor Mill that ran the school and that was something he wasn't willing to get involved with.

"Oh government, I'm bollocks at it" Harry said honestly, he had struggled the whole class and now that they were getting deeper into the government and foreign affairs he was even more lost at sea. He didn't really know what the British government thought about half of the topics that they talked on, which made it even worse for him. Now he could speak to the Ministry of Magic's stand point on some things, but not everything. Professor Binns didn't teach the most current of topics, that being what the Ministry had done or was planning to do about certain topics that were most certainly not on any muggle's radar.

"Well if you needed help, why didn't say anything" Edward said, even before the 'hiccup' as he was calling it had happened Harry had been in his government class and had said nothing to any of them about not understanding the United States form of government.

"Well at the time I thought I would be able to keep up, I don't know a ton about British government so I figured I would be able to pick up what the professor was talking about"

"Harry, any of us could have helped you" Edward said forgetting for the moment that they had cut ties with him for a few weeks.

"Well that would have only worked until Swan came into the picture. After all it was Esme that asked me to leave and stay at my house on a permanent basis." Harry pointed out, he hated to throw that in Edward's face, but it needed to have been said.

"I'm sorry about that, we should have known better" Edward said sitting at the table and giving Harry a look that made the small teen's heart skip a beat. Edward had always been able to do that to him, with just a look Harry felt as if he was only person in the world that existed for just Edward and Edward alone. Harry could feel the eyes on them, and he knew that anything that they talked about would be in the Rumor Mill and he didn't want that to happen.

"So what's the topic?" Edward said knowing that they were being watched by the population of Forks High School.

"Foreign affairs" Harry said before pointing something out what it was that he was attempting to understand. Harry and Edward were soon in their own world, as it usually was when Edward and Harry got together, it was part of the reason why he had been excited to learn that his power mates with Edward. He knew the forever teen would cherish him until the day he died, if he died at all.

When it seemed that Bella wasn't going to get noticed by Edward during lunch she began to plot her way back into the vampire's heart and world, even though she was unaware of what Edward was at that moment in time. She would find a way and when she did she knew that Edward would be all hers and no one and she meant no one would be able to infringe upon the union that she and Edward had. It was then that Harry felt a chill run down his spine, something was going on and he knew just *knew* it dealt with him, Edward and the Cullens. Edward noticed the change in Harry instantly.

"What?"

"I think Bella has lost her mind and is planning to get you back by any means" Harry whispered knowing that the Cullens could hear him just fine but the rest of the population couldn't. Most figured that the pair was sitting there discussing homework when in fact that wasn't the case.

"How do you know?" Edward asked, he was unable to read the girl so he knew nothing of what she was thinking about or about to do, which had drawn him to her in the first place, the second was the scent of her blood it sang to him, luckily though he had been able to break out of his singer high and realized that she wasn't want he wanted or needed in his life. Then again wet dogs hanging around Harry could have help speed that process along.

"Let's just say that I've had enough of Fate playing with me to know when something is about to change and Fate has a hand in it." Harry explained. It was no secret to the Cullens about the Wizarding World and the battle that was going on but what none of them, not even Alice knew was that Harry had an odd relationship with the deity he called "Fate". "Fate" loved messing with Harry and if a chance arose she was more than likely to take it then to let the situation go away. Hence a crazy man out for his blood, vampires in his life and shape-shifting wolves.

"Should I worry about you" Edward said a concerned look on his face, he would be guarding Harry's house with or without wet dogs living in there. Speaking of which, he would have to speak to Carlisle and Esme immediately once he arrived home to ask about the living situation with Harry. He refused to have Harry unwelcome in the house he called a home, and if it went to the point where he would have to move out then he would do so. It would hurt the family, but this time he was going to get it right and right in his world was Harry. Everything began and ended with the small teen boy that sat next to him. Harry wasn't worry about getting old, hell he wasn't too sure he would be getting old to begin with so Harry made the perfect candidate to become a vampire if it came down to it.

"Swan has her plans and I fear they may interfere with you and the shape-shifting wolves" Harry had decided as he spoke that the La Push tribe or pack was nothing more than shape-shifters with a hate against vampires. Edward and his family hadn't even known about the La Push tribe until one day when they were out hunting and ran into of the pack members, the alpha in fact. It was then that tensions arose and then treaty was the result.

"We will deal with it as they come" Edward said before taking Harry's hand and giving it a quick squeeze nothing that no one noticed but something that Harry felt.

"We'll need it" Harry said a grin on his face, Edward had squeezed his hand! It had been so long that he had, had contact with the vampire. This of course didn't take them out of the woods about dropping him like a sack of potatoes, but it was a step in the right direction. A whispered word from Alice prepared Edward for the on-coming Bella, he hadn't been quick enough to warn Harry so it was a complete surprise that the girl was standing next to their table while Edward pointed out some important facts that he thought would be on the quiz.

"Edward, I've decided that if you think that this, this little friendship you have with *him* is going to stop our relationship then you have another thing coming"

"My friendships and family are my own, and my breaking things off with you had nothing to do with my friendship with Harry and everything to do with you" Edward said not happy with the tone that she was using when she spoke about Harry.

"But, but, but….." Things had not gone the way that Bella had assumed they would. She figured she would sway her way over and then Edward would take her back once she said that he could remain friends with *the boy* as Bella referred to him as. Sadly it hadn't got that far and now she stood here looking very much like a fool, something she didn't like at all and all because of the boy that was sitting next to *her* boyfriend.

"Bella just leave, Mike and Jessica seem to want you" Edward said pointing to the pair that had begun waving the girl off the moment she stood up and decided to make her way over to the table that Harry and Edward sat at.

"Fine" Bella said before tossing her hair over her shoulder and then thinking up something that she was certain would send Edward into a fit, it had before and she was certain it still would.

"I'm so glad that Jake understands me" she said before walking away waiting for Edward to call her back, she walked slowly but eventually she got back to her table and Edward hadn't called her or even said a word to stop her from going back to her table. This just enraged her even more, this was *NOT* how things were supposed to go. She had figured that being the new girl at school would land her the guy of her dreams, and it had but now he seemed almost disinterested with her and she couldn't seem to figure out why, besides Harry feeding lies to him about her. Even he didn't know her so he knew nothing of the history that she had back in Phoenix as a stuck up bitch with a superiority complex, she had begged and pleaded with her mother to send her to private school but when she had told her for the 100th time that they didn't have the money and that she was going to be on the road a lot with her new hubby, she needed a stable home environment and that would be with her father, not a private school. She had a fit and hadn't spoken to her mother for days, actually she still wasn't speaking to her mother and she had gotten on the plane without a tear in her eye. She would pay, just like everyone else that stood in her way to get what she wanted and what she wanted right now was Edward Cullen. His family may be a bit odd, but she figured she would be able to lie her way into making Edward leave his family for her. Now though her plans were ruined and she had to figure out a way to get her plan back on track.

"I fear for whoever marries her" Harry said which he saw out of the corner of his eye Rosalie smile, something that was a huge feat in itself. Rosalie never smiled and if she did it was usually because of something one of the coven members said, or something that humiliated the humans that she hated oh so much.

"Me too" Edward answered before he was back to pointing out things that he was certain would be on the quiz. After all he could read the minds of everyone except for Harry and Bella. Soon the bell rang and Harry felt wholly unprepared for the quiz that he was about to take.

"You'll do fine, you seem to know what I'm talking about" Edward said which made Harry feel a bit better but not by much, after all he understood perfectly when the vampire explained it but when it came to trying to talk about it he was totally at a loss.

"That's because you explained it" Harry said before blushing, he hadn't mean to say that but it seemed that it had slipped out.

"If I could blush" Edward said before taking Harry's hand and holding onto it, he cared little at this point on what the population of Forks High School thought of him and his relationship with Harry. Harry had warmed his once thought dead heart yet again, he had missed the general warmth that Harry always made him have. He would for sure be talking with Carlisle and Esme about Harry and his living arrangements. He knew that Esme would be devastated when Harry gave her the cold shoulder; but it had been her idea to make Harry move out just in case Edward decided to include Bella in their life on a permanent basis, so if she got the cold shoulder she had it coming to her.

"Edward" Harry whispered harshly, no one had noticed that their hands were linked but he knew that Bella or one of the Rumor Mill Whores would notice and there would be hell to pay.

"I don't care, you matter and if that means I want to hold your hand then I want to hold your hand" Edward said boldly, this was probably the first time that he ever really admitted to having these sorts of feelings for Harry, even when the small teen had been in his life before he had pushed away the thoughts of being with Harry in something more than friends, now though he was seeing that it truly didn't matter what gender a person was, just so long as they loved you and you loved them, something he had just figured out. He was very much in *LOVE* with Harry and very much *NOT* in love with Bella. She would be what people expected, the new girl getting the hot guy but that wasn't going to happen to him, no he had a small teen boy that had taken over his once thought dead heart and he was willing to fight for the love that he had for the small teen.

"But what about your….family" Harry said worried, he would hate to break the coven apart. He knew that sooner or later Edward would become bitter with him and that would be about the time that he would leave Harry's life and this time he may not make it out alive.

"They will either accept it or not" Edward said quietly, he knew there would be a coven meeting the moment they stepped foot into the house, just what he wanted to discuss the status of Bella and Harry in the Cullen family/coven.

"Right, accept it or not" Harry said with a nod of his head knowing that the words were being directed to the vampires of the high school and not him.

"Now come on you, you have a quiz to pass" Edward said before standing and making sure that he never broke connection with Harry's hand. Harry could feel the stares and he knew that one of them had to belong to Bella, something that he feared. The girl was vicious when she got you one on one, but when people were around it was a whole different story which Harry had firsthand knowledge of.

"You matter to me and I won't let *them* think otherwise now." Edward said now pulling Harry up easily, it didn't take much to begin with and it was with a bit of a stumble that Harry fell into Edward the whole time blushing red and knowing that the Rumor Mill had begun speculating what was going on between the pair of them. As the pair left the cafeteria a huge burst of noise followed them, what was going on between Harry and Edward? And it was true that Edward and Bella had broken up? That much they had seen and heard; now it was just a matter of figuring out what the hell was going on. They knew that nothing would be said at least until the end of the day when Bella had free reign of the parking lot where everyone was certain she would make some sort of stance about Harry and the friendship and maybe more if the holding of hands meant anything. And when had Edward turned towards his own gender? Was Bella that much of, of….of what? To make Edward turn away from the female gender to his own? There were so many things that had no answers and the end of school couldn't come fast enough for those that wanted and needed to know.

"I'll be here to pick you up after class" Edward said unnecessarily, Harry knew that the vampire would be there for him. Harry just nodded his head knowing that Edward would be there for him, he always had been and it seemed that things were back to normal. The whole class period Harry got questions peppered to him during the times that the teacher had their back turned and/or were outside of the room for some reason.

"What's up with you stealing Edward from Bella?" Jessica said in a nasty tone of voice, now don't get her wrong she was willing to move in for the kill if she knew that Edward was in the free and clear but the Harry aspect was making her a bit confused on how far she would get if she tried yet again to make a move on Edward.

"I didn't steal anyone from anybody" Harry said, he too was confused on things. He knew that he meant more to Edward than he had before but he was uncertain on if that was because of the fact that Paul had come out of his house acting as if he had made himself right at home or if in fact Edward realized that Bella Swan wasn't what he wanted in his life for all eternity which it would have to be since once she found out she would have to be either killed or turned and Harry didn't see the first option happening, even if she was a huge cunt with a complex. Harry was certain that the three rulers of the vampires wouldn't find any charm in Bella Swan and her plain features.

"Right, so the whole holding Edward's hand was what? An accident?" Jessica hissed, but her hissing was a touch too loud for it brought the attention of the teacher to her.

"Ms. Stanley there is no talking during the quiz" the teacher reminded her and took a look to see that Jessica had yet to start her quiz while Harry, who he assumed that she was talking to was almost half way done with his quiz making him wonder on if Jessica was attempting to get answers from the small black haired teen.

"Ms. Stanley your quiz and stay after class" the teacher said, he figured that Jessica was attempting to get answers and Harry was unwilling to give them, hence her raise in voice.

"But I'm not done" Jessica said looking at her quiz and seeing that she had only put her name and date on the quiz. This didn't look good for her at all, it was bad enough that her sister was the prima donna of the two of them but now it looked as if she would be getting in some serious trouble if she couldn't explain her way out of this one.

"That is the point" the teacher said before putting out his hand and then waiting for Jessica to hand over her quiz, which she did so most reluctantly. Harry watched for a moment along with the rest of the class and then continued one. He only had a few more questions and he could already hear Edward's voice telling him the answers. That was the one thing that Harry had missed while they had been apart, being able to know and hear Edward's voice in his head. He wasn't sure if it was due to Edward's being his power mate or if it was that he knew the vampire so well that he just *knew* what the vampire would say to him in his head.

"That's not fair" Jessica said with a pout, she was going to play the role of Harry trying to get her to give him answers.

"We can discuss that after class but until then just sit there and wait for everyone else to turn in their quizzes."

"Fine" Jessica said still pouting, she would make sure that she sold the teacher on the fact that Harry had been attempting to get answers from her and that was why she had been unable to get any answers written down on her quiz. Forget the fact that she was going to fail it since she hadn't studied but he didn't need to know that, now did he? For the rest of the period students turned in their quizzes and waited for the teachers to give the okay for moving on to the next topic that he had planned. Harry had turned his quiz is shortly after the teacher had collected Jessica's quiz from her. It was fortunate that by the time the last quiz had been turned in that it was the end of class, so no new material would be started that day.

"You are released, Miss. Stanley" the teacher said before watching the students pack up and leave the room while Jessica sat in her chair and pouted like that was going to get her somewhere. Harry knew there would be more fuel to the fire of the Forks Rumor Mill when Edward showed up at the door ready to take him to his next class for the day and show up he did, it seemed that the whole Cullen/Hale group were at his classroom door waiting for him.

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked a touched afraid of what the answer might be.

"Perfectly, but you have been demanded by Esme to come home with us" Edward said with a smirk on his face, the moment that she had heard about what had happened between Edward and Bella and then Harry, she had demanded to seek out Harry and apologize to him for what she had done to him and all over some silly human girl that wouldn't ever fit into the family, even with the transformation that occurred when you became a vampire.

"Sorry but no" Harry said he was going to stick to his guns on this. If they really and truly wanted him to be a part of the family/coven then they would have to prove it and demanding that someone come visit you wasn't winning any sort of points with Harry at this point in time. It just pissed him off, one minute you think that maybe things would work out and then BAM something like this happens. Granted it wasn't a huge deal but to Harry it was, he always seemed to be doing whatever the Cullens told him to do and that had to change he had thoughts and feelings too usually the Cullens discounted his feelings and made him do whatever it was anyway. He figured this would be no different, which lead to a long suffering sigh, he just couldn't get a break could he Fate?

"No" Rosalie said surprised, she had figured that would be the last thing out of Harry's mouth when they told him of Esme's flurry to get him back in the Cullen home as soon as possible.

"No, I have a house guest and I am not going to be rude to him" Harry said he knew the vampires understood what he wasn't saying; that just because one of them wanted or demanded something that didn't actually mean that it would happen.

"I'm sure the wet dog can manage for an hour or two" Rosalie said her nose stuck up in the air while speaking. She did so hate the werewolf population of the area, and she always wondered why they came back here knowing that the dogs would up eventually show up.

"That "wet dog" has a name and it's name is Paul. If you don't like him, I don't care….leave your nasty comments to yourself." Harry had always hated when Rosalie along with other members of the coven called the shape-shifters 'wet dogs', he hated people judging people before they even knew them. Rosalie showed her surprise at Harry sticking up to her, only the other coven members would be willing to do battle with her since they were built just as indestructible as she was if it came down to that. It surprised the group just enough that it sent Harry going towards his car to make his way back to his house, where Paul would probably be waiting for him wondering how things had gone with the vampires. Paul had slowly stopped calling the Cullens leeches; instead he referred to them by their last name, something that Harry happily took since he took that as Paul was willing to bend some of his ideas about the vampires of the area to continue to be friends with him, by that time the Cullen/Hales noticed that Harry was no longer in front of them.

"Harry" Edward shouted, this was a decidedly anti-Edward or even Anti-Cullen/Hale thing to do. They didn't like to draw attention to themselves, but the attention always followed them regardless of what they did. Harry shook his head, he wasn't going to bend to having Rosalie or any of the Cullens disrespecting a group of people that took him in as one of their own, something the vampires had never done.

"No, just no" Harry said, he knew the vampires heard him and he also knew he was making a scene something that the vampires hated.

"Harry, please" Edward said now much closer than before, which meant that Edward was using a bit of his vampire powers to catch up to him.

"What? You want me to over look Rosalie's comment? Aren't we always doing that? You give these special concessions to people but yet when it came down to me, I got nothing from you or your family but a "it's been real but now we have a mate for Edward so please leave"

"It wasn't like that, it isn't like that" Edward said with his hand on Harry's arm as it made it's way to open the door of his car.

"Then what was it like?" Harry asked turning towards Edwards and showing him the electric green eyes and the furry that was held behind them, this was why Voldemort feared him, this was why Dumbledore was on a man hunt to find him. The look in Harry's eyes pulled Edward up short, he had never seen Harry this angry before, this side of him oddly made him understand why the young man was in hiding. He was powerful, and it was finally showing.

"And don't give me don't mind Rosalie talk, she knows exactly what she is saying and she chooses to speak those nasty spiteful words. I never liked it and I won't allow her words any leeway any longer." Harry said pulling his arm out of Edward's hand.

"Please Harry" Edward knew there would be a huge fight tonight at the house but what Harry had said was true, they were always covering for her, something that probably only made the situation worse not better.

"Please" Edward said in a whisper, he needed to talk to Harry and he needed to do so most desperately, even if that meant putting up with werewolves.

"Fine, my house in an hour" Harry finally broke down, this would give him enough time to talk to Paul and figure things out before the vampire came over. Edward nodded his head and then did something so uncharacteristic of him, he ran his hand down the side of Harry's face with the whole school watching. Harry said nothing to the move, he instead got in his car and made his way to his house where Paul was probably going stir-crazy with waiting for him. He knew Paul and he knew the man was waiting for him and the outcome of his day at school. When Harry arrived home it was to see Paul standing on the front porch with only a pair of tight fitting jean cut-offs on.


	8. Chapter 8

"Paul! The neighbors!" Harry said like his Aunt Petunia would, should she had seen something like that on Privet Drive.

"What neighbors?" Paul said with a smile on his face, he knew there was no one near where Harry lived so he need not worry about what the neighbors would say about him shirtless and in cut-offs and standing in front of another man's house.

"Well" Harry said before he began to laugh, Paul was just too sure of himself to even try and continue on with his thought.

"Exactly" Paul said all swagger about him; there was no way that Harry could go against him on his comment.

"So how did your day of fun go?" Paul asked as he pulled Harry into a hug. He knew from the limited amount of information from Harry himself and also from Sam that Harry was a very tactile person, since his relatives spent most if not all of their time not touching him or touching him in a negative manner so he knew that a hug would be welcome after the day that he had probably had while dealing with the vampire population of the area.

"As well as can be expected" Harry said his face pressed against Paul's chest, not minding at all the feel of warm skin against his face.

"They give you any trouble?"

"You know they did" Harry said breaking the contact and giving Paul a look that said 'as if you didn't know' look.

"So what's the story now?" Paul knew these vampires well enough to know that once they took notice of Harry again that there would be no way of getting them away from Harry again.

"Edward has broken up with Bella Swan it seems and, yeah well" Harry said, he knew he didn't need to say anything more about what the vampires had decided to do or not do.

"Back on the radar, huh?" Harry nodded his head and it was then that he broke the news of at least Edward coming over in the next hour.

"So, yeah, um…."

"Harry just say it already" Paul said wondering what had Harry so tongue tied.

"Edward is coming over in just a little bit" Harry said fast before peering up to look into Paul's face looking to see some sort of disappointment written on the other man's face.

"Are you kicking me out?" Paul asked knowing that he wasn't but he thought he would ask just in case.

"Of course not, unlike some people I don't kick people out of my life once I've found something better or different" Harry said still angry at the words that Rosalie had spoken and the way that Esme had just packed up his things and moved him into the storage room as if he didn't matter. The Cullens knew how sensitive he was about that sort of thing and here they had gone and thrown his feelings aside for the mere idea of Edward having a mate with one of the plainest, bitchiest girls in Forks.

"I know it isn't lover" Paul said pulling Harry closer to him and nipping at his neck. He wanted to make sure that the vampires knew that Harry was owned and they would have their work cut out for them to get the small teen back in their lives. He would make sure of that, that much was for sure, then again he was pretty sure most of the pack would help him in that fight as well.

"I don't want them to come, is that mean?" Harry said holding onto Paul and knowing that it would only be a matter of time before the silver Volvo would be pulling up in his driveway and in it the resident vampires.

"No, and you can tell them to leave if you want. They have no say in your life, not now and not ever" Paul said, he could tell right now that back up would be needed for this meeting between Harry and the Cullens. Harry said nothing, he just *knew* that Paul understood what he was thinking and that he would do all in his power to make Harry happy, something that the vampires obviously hadn't wanted when he had spent his time with them.

"I'm calling Sam, I think a couple extra wolves around might not be a bad idea" he knew it would piss the vampires off to no end but he also knew that Harry would feel much better with more than just him there with the Cullen Coven if they decided to bring the whole coven with them.

"Paul" Harry said without much muster, he wanted more people there but he was afraid to ask. His time with his relatives and at Hogwarts showed him that showing that he needed people would and could be used against him later on.

"Sam is sure to come for such a meeting" Paul said picking up the phone and dialing Emily's house number to let Sam know what was going on. After a quick discussion Harry soon knew that the rest of the pack was on their way to his house to greet the coven of vampires that were no doubt about to show. It seemed that the werewolves arrived first and made themselves at home right away, they wanted to show the vampires that life for Harry had gone on even after they gotten rid of him out of their lives.

"They're here" Seth said from the front window as they watched the famous silver Volvo and black Benz make their way up the driveway and unloading all of the vampires that were to be in attendance. Harry didn't need to look out the window to know that Carlisle and Esme were there, he knew that the vampires would play every card they had and parental figures was one of the things he yearned for and had thought he had found in Carlisle and Esme. The doorbell rang and Harry took a deep breath before making his way to the front door where he knew the coven would be standing waiting for him.

"Hi" Harry answered the door with, seeing the whole coven there with Rosalie turning up her nose at the scent of the shape-shifting werewolves she was smelling.

"Harry" Esme said in a voice that Harry knew if the woman could cry she would be doing so now. She made to bring him in a hug but Harry took a step back, he wasn't going to allow contact if he could help it for he knew he would break down if he did. Esme's face turned sad and disappointed, as if she hadn't been expecting such a reaction from him.

"Hello Harry" Carlisle said in greeting before getting a glimpse at the pack of werewolves that he and the rest of the vampires smelled located on Harry's living room floor.

"Have we interrupted something?" Carlisle asked, the way that Edward had told the story Harry would be expecting them and this certainly didn't fit into what he thought he would be seeing.

"No" Sam answered for Harry, standing next to the smaller man at the front door.

"Sam, what a pleasant surprise" Carlisle said acting as if the pack of werewolves in what he thought was his son's house was a normal thing.

"I would say the same, but I know your intentions here" Carlisle showed his surprise, he hadn't thought that Harry would be so willing to open up to others and so quickly.

"Ah" Carlisle said before Harry moved out of the way to allow the vampires entry into his home.

"Harry what happened?" Alice asked once she saw the major changes that had been done to the house; this didn't look anything like the way she had left the last time she had been to the house.

"I remodeled" Harry answered, it was as simple as that. He had remodeled, they need not know any more information than that. Alice shut her mouth at the comment; this was definitely a different Harry than they had been dealing with before they had pushed him aside; had they hurt him that much with pushing him aside? She had thought along with everyone else that Harry would understand the need to focus on Bella as completely as they had, but now she was beginning to rethink that thought.

"It's nice" Esme said trying to keep the flow of conversation going since it seemed that Harry had little urge to carry on a conversation with them.

"So you're here, what do you want?" Paul asked always the one to state the obvious and usually cause tension between the two groups.

"Harry" Edward whispered but everyone in the room heard it. Edward sounded so unlike himself and that stopped both the vampires and the shape-shifting werewolves what they were doing and look at Edward.

"No, just no" Harry said, he knew what Edward was saying in the calling of his name and his answer was no, however much he wanted it to be yes he had to keep things in perspective and he wasn't ready to allow Edward or the Cullens back into his life that easily.

"Please" Edward said now stepping forward and making his way over to where Harry stood with Paul and Sam at his back.

"No" Harry said taking a step back into Paul's open arms.

"Please"


	9. Chapter 9

"No, don't you get it? No, no, I'm not going to be second choice after you figure things out. No, I'm not going to jump back into Cullen family life when you got rid of me so quickly. Was she worth it? Was Bella Swan really worth, throwing me to the side as if I was some old toy?" Harry asked, his eyes told everyone there how angry, hurt and sad he was about the whole situation. Edward shook his head, no Bella Swan hadn't been worth anything but spending his money on things he didn't want and getting rid of the one person in the world that really *got* him.

"You moved on, and so did I" Harry said comfortable where he was with Sam and Paul surrounding him.

"Can I….we at least try"

"To what? Be part of my life now? Sure, if you want but you have to understand that I'm not going to allow you the same status you had before. You will have to earn that back, if you can even earn it to begin with."

"Then what is with those 'dogs' being here?" Rosalie asked, she always did have a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Get out" Harry said angry, how dare Rosalie act as if she is better than any of the shape-shifters while in his home. She was a guest in his home and she had the nerve as act as if she was the queen of the house. Rosalie along with the rest of the vampires showed their surprise.

"If you are going to talk about the people I care about like that, than just leave. You either have to accept that they are part of my life or you need not be part of my life." It was then that the Cullens had to make a decision, either accept the fact that Harry had some sort of connection with the werewolves of the area or not be a part of Harry's life any longer, something that Edward wasn't willing to do; even if that meant breaking away from the Cullens to be with Harry. Silence reigned as if waiting for something or someone to move. Rosalie made no move; Harry had made her understand that what she was doing was doing more harm than good for the small teen.

"I'm sorry" Rosalie apologized nothing else needed to be said by her for everyone knew she would act accordingly from now on when dealing with Harry. Harry nodded his head in acceptance, he would accept her apology but only time would tell if she actually meant the words that she actually spoke.

"I think we all owe you an apology, Harry" Carlisle said it was as Rosalie had apologized that he really realized what they had done and how callus their actions had been, Harry said nothing he wasn't sure what to say to the group in the first place.

"I'm so sorry Harry, please understand that I didn't mean…." Esme was at a lost as to what to say to Harry. She knew that besides Edward's actions towards the small teen that her actions had also hit the teen hard. It was then that Esme carried on her apology;

"I didn't mean to make it seem like you meant nothing to me, to us" Esme said hoping that she was healing some of the wounds that she and the others had created when they had chosen Bella over Harry.

"It was just with the arrival of Bella and the way that Edward had been acting, we got caught up in the moment. Please forgive me, us for what we have done." It was finally Emmett that seemed to break first as if he had learned nothing from his mate's outburst at the small teen.

"Don't you have anything to say? Anything?!"

"What do I need to say? That I accept your apology and that life can resume as if Bella Swan had never existed? That I should move back into your house and live life as if I had never been told to leave? That's not going to happen, I already told you that. I like my life now, now *you* have to find a place in the life that I have built now not the other way around." Harry said breaking out of Paul's embrace to berate Emmett. He was tired of being the one to have to justify his actions when it should be the other way around. There was nothing that would justify what had happened but he could or would at least be able to move on from what had happened to him by them if he was willing to give them a chance and that was *if* he was willing not the other way around. Emmett looked shocked something that was rare for a vampire to be.

"Emmett" Carlisle said knowing that they needed to be careful on what they were saying and what they were doing. It was then that Harry kept talking; he wasn't going to let them off as easy as they thought they probably thought that they were.

"What if it was Rosalie that decided that you weren't worth the time because she might have found her mate in another person and Esme sent you on your way? How would you feel, any of you?" Harry said looking at the vampires, how would they feel if anyone of them had what had happened to him happen to them? Esme covered her mouth, showing just how affected she was by what Harry had just said.

"I'm sorry! I am so truly sorry" Esme said before making her way over to Harry and pulling him to her before Paul or Sam could make a move to protect him. Harry held still, Esme's actions surprised him, he knew that it would be emotional but he didn't think that Esme would have done what she had just done. He figured that Esme would justify along with the rest of the coven but instead she had done something that hadn't been something he had figured she would do.

"Get away from him" Paul said pulling his Beta card with the vampires. In his mind until Harry told him to stop, he was going to act as the small teen's alpha mate. Esme looked up surprised before narrowing her eyes, something that was very rarely seen on Esme's face.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do wolf" Esme snarled out, this was purely between Harry and herself, not some wolf that thought he was an alpha. This was beta against beta and they both knew it.

"And don't you dare do something that Harry may not want" Paul pointed out to Esme, who immediately released Harry as if she had been burned.

"I'm sorry, so sorry" Esme said covering her mouth as if she was going to cry over what she had done to Harry. Harry looked wide-eyed at the female vampire and it was then that he had to decide what to do, he missed Esme, she was the one person besides Edward that he missed. She was the mother figure that he had always yearned for, that one person he wanted to go to when he had a bad dream, that one person that he could go to and tell that he was in love with a boy, but instead she had closed that door when she had told him that she no longer thought he needed to stay at the Cullen home. It was then that Harry had to make a decision, that of include the vampire (s) in his life or not, he was at a loss as to what to do since he wanted Esme back in his life but he was scared that he would get burned again, something that he couldn't live through a second time.

"Know that I never meant any harm for my actions. I just thought that it would be awkward with you there and Bella there as well" Esme said her face telling Harry much more than her words conveyed. Harry then made a decision; one he hoped wouldn't back fire on him later. He pulled Esme back into a hug and closed his eyes, blocking out the other faces in the room. The rest of the vampires would have to prove themselves, while the shape-shifting wolves would just have to be angry with him for allowing Esme back in his life.

"Harry" Paul said his voice cracking just a bit, telling everyone in the room how he really felt. Harry broke contact with Esme and made a beeline to Paul baring his neck just enough to the wolf to calm the hurt that Harry knew he was feeling.

"Careful" Paul whispered, everyone in the room knew what he wasn't saying.

"Always" Harry said while Paul nipped his neck.


	10. Chapter 10

"So you're what? His bitch now?" Emmett said crudely, his face showing the disgust that he had at the thought of the wolf and Harry together. Harry turned blazing electric green eyes at Emmett and then spoke; he thought that they understood but it was obvious that some still held to some ideas about what he was or wasn't to the wolves and to them.

"Emmett McCarty Cullen you have no clue what I am or am not to these people, they are my family just as Esme is now. Do not think that just because I accepted Esme that I accept you all, for I don't. It would be wise of you to shut your crude, rude and stupid mouth and find out the truth behind my connection with them instead of just assuming things." Everyone looked at Harry this was really one of the first outbursts that he had with them, most of the time Harry bowed down to their ideas instead of voicing his own thoughts something that he had been taught by his time with his relatives. It was then that things began to shake and move around the living room. This was the first time that Harry had shown his true power to the group, including the vampires.

"Calm lover, calm" Paul said which seemed to break some control that Edward had over himself.

"Get away from him dog, he's mine!" Edward said before moving faster than Paul could react and pulling Harry away from Paul. It was instantaneous and no one could tell what happened next but soon Edward was thrown across the room and through the glass window that Harry had made a few days earlier. Everyone watched stunned and amazed at what had just happened and how quickly it had happened.

"Yours? Yours!? I am my own and you would best to remember that Edward Anthony Masen Cullen" Harry started, he may be in love with the vampire but even Edward had to realize that he was treading on thin ice. This was the first sign that Edward had any sort of feelings for him that wasn't strictly friendly or family related. Edward shook off the glass and looked directly at Harry, a look in his eyes that told Harry how hungry he was for him and it wasn't his blood that he wanted. Harry knew then that any hold that the cunt of a girl had over Edward was gone and in its place was a very real and very dangerous feeling that Edward was showing to not only the shape-shifting werewolves but to his own family, something that surprised Harry.

"Yes, mine" Edward stated before nipping at Harry neck much harder than Paul had been doing before, it brought tears to Harry's eyes. This was exactly what he didn't want; he didn't want Edward acting out of some rebellion to what was his relationship with Paul and the wolves was. Paul noticed the tears immediately and Harry was soon in the safety of Paul's arms. If only Paul and he were mates, things would be so much different but instead he was in love with a vampire that seemed to think that he had full and complete control over his life, just like a certain old wizard that he was running from thought, of course they didn't know that but it still left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Harry is his own, remember that leech!" Paul said while pulling Harry closer to his warm body trying to warm the chill that Harry was bound to have with all this pulling from one person to the next.

"Edward" Carlisle called out, breaking Edward out of whatever haze he had been in with his fight about Harry with Paul.

"Edward" Carlisle called again just to make sure that he had Edward's full attention; it was then that Edward turned blazing obsidian eyes to Carlisle.

"Jasper, Emmett get him out of here" Carlisle directed and soon Edward was fighting the pair of vampires for all he was worth while trying to get back to Harry.

"Get off of me! I'm fine! Leave me and my mate be" Edward chanted over and over again, all the while Emmett and Jasper holding on to him and dragging him literally kicking and screaming out of the broken glass windows and into the forest that lay behind Harry's home.

"Calm lover, calm" Paul told Harry as he soothed the frazzled nerves of the small teen-aged wizard.

"I am sorry for Edward's outburst" Carlisle said properly, he knew that he too had to prove his worth to the small teen before he could even be considered something more than just a vampire of the area that needed to be watched.

"You don't have to apologize for something that you didn't do" Harry stated calmly, more calmly than he felt at the current moment in time.

"I think I do" Carlisle said before giving Harry a look, showing him that he clearly had issues with the behavior that he had just seen from Edward.

"I think it would be best if we left, is Esme free to stay?"

"I think it would be best if all of you would leave" Paul said making sure that he spoke the wishes of what Harry wanted and at that moment he wanted nothing to remind him of the vampires that stood before him or he at least thought that.

"No Esme can stay" Harry corrected Paul, he needed someone to talk to that was a vampire and the only person that he trusted enough for that was Esme.

"Are you sure lover?" Harry nodded his head which told Paul that he needed to get rid of most if not all of the wolves that were in the house currently.

"You're going..." Jacob didn't get to finish the thought for he was through the glass window by Quil and Embry and out into the forest as Edward had been before him by Japer and Emmett.

"Don't worry about him" Paul told Harry who had broken out of his hold and seemed to be cleaning up the mess that Paul and Edward had created. He knew even the smell of werewolf blood wouldn't be an issue for Esme, after all she had been doing this "vegetarian vampire" thing for quite some time, plus it was werewolf blood something no vampire would willing take if they didn't have to.

"Right" Harry said not really listening to Paul, he had no care for what Jacob Black had to say, he did always wonder though that with the Black's family coloring that maybe they were distantly related to the Blacks of the wizarding world. It wouldn't surprised him that was for sure, only time would tell on that though since Sirius would use all means necessary to fulfill the old man's plan and if that meant calling in a favor to his American counterparts then so be it; after all he wasn't ready to settle down as he told Harry when he had asked to live with him after he had graduated from Hogwarts and really had nowhere to go since the Dursleys for sure weren't going to allow him back into their house if they didn't need to. He had also gotten the famous line "you need your Aunt's blood protection" which was a huge lie since there would have to be love between them for there to be a bond in the first place.

"How are you holding up dear?" Esme asked as she stood next to Harry, who had by now cleaned up the area and replaced the glass with new panes taken from a piece of broken glass.

"Could be better" Harry answered honestly, it may have been Esme's words that had cut him but it was the rest of the coven's dealings with him that had cut even deeper, especially Edward's and now there was this new twist where Edward was acting as if he was a crazed vampire on a coeunt Luxuria something that had been rarely seen as it was rare to meet a vampire with a wizard or witch as a mate.

"I imagine you have questions" Esme said in such a way that put Harry at ease, it also eased a bit of the tension out of Paul's body to know that Harry trusted this one vampire, it may be a vampire but he knew that Esme would protect Harry and answer any questions he may have, for something odd had just occurred and a whole pack of wolves and vampires had witnessed it. Harry nodded his head which gave Paul the cue to push everyone out.

"Out the lot of you" Paul said in his best fake British accent, which had Harry laughing something that was music to every one's ears. It was rare to hear that noise coming from Harry these days since he had to deal with being thrown out of a family he thought accepted him for who he was and what had happened to him.

"I think I'll stay" Sam said which then had all of the wolves agreeing that staying was the best course of action given the history Harry had with these vampires.

"Sam, I think the pack really needs to leave on this" Paul said hoping that Sam wouldn't play his alpha card and stay which would in turn make everyone else stay for there was no doubt Harry was about to receive some interesting information about what the hell was going on. Sam gave Paul a look and found the answer to his unasked question.

"Pack it up, Harry needs some time alone with the vampire" Sam still refused to call them by their given names, but he would refer to them as vampires while in the presence of Harry. There was a collective groan but soon everyone was getting up and ready to go, which meant stripping down and dashing out the doggie door that Harry had installed for Paul. A shocked looking Esme made Harry smile, it wasn't everyday that you got to see a pack of men shift from a naked man to a wolf. It was just enough of a distraction that gave Paul the ability to pull Harry close and whisper to him:

"You need only call lover" Paul told Harry before shifting and making his way out the door and to wait in the yard should Harry call for him, since he wasn't going to leave the yard until Harry told him.


	11. Chapter 11

"Harry" Esme got no further in her words before Harry began to cast spell after spell on each open item into the house. He knew that if given a chance Edward would be inside the house and none of the vampires would even know it and that could be a very bad thing given Edward's latest crazed state of mind.

"Oh, my yes that would be important" Esme said before she watched Harry worked his own brand of magic to keep Edward out and let Paul or anyone else in. Once Harry felt he was safe in his own home again he turned to Esme and his eyes blazed an electric green at her.

"What was that?"

"Ah, yes what you and everyone else saw is what we call a coeunt Luxuria"

"Mate Lust?" Harry said confused, he was currently taking Latin at Forks High School and since he had gone to Hogwarts for seven year he was fluent in the language, which was why the current teacher loved him so much.

"Yes, for lack of better phrasing. It's rare to see one as severe as what we just saw but every vampire has one when they find their mate, you just happen to be a wizard and a powerful one so that just sort made things more pronounced" Esme ended with, she in no way wanted to offend Harry at this point. She had gotten back in and she wasn't going to screw it up by saying the wrong thing as Emmett and Rosalie had clearly done.

"So are you saying that Edward didn't have one of those when he met Swan?" Maybe there was hope that he and Edward were meant to be together after all.

"Not that I know of" Esme said, she and Carlisle had both found it odd to not see a coeunt Luxuria happen when Edward announced that Bella was his mate, but she also found it odd that Harry's coeunt Luxuria was happening now and so dramatically, maybe it dealt with the way that the werewolf was acting towards Harry. It even raised the hairs on her body when she heard the word 'lover' come out of the wolf's mouth and it was directed towards Harry; something she found totally wrong and that shouldn't be happening. Harry was part of their coven and some wolf had fulfilled something that none of them had been able to do since they all had mates, well except for Edward but he had shortly after that claimed Bella Swan was his mate, not his vere coniuge but just his 'mate', something that kept rubbing her the wrong way, she needed to talk to Carlisle once she got home, and by this point it was sooner rather than later. Bella Swan was playing at something and she needed to talk to Carlisle about it and pronto, but she also wanted to spend time with her baby since she had been the one to heavily suggest that he not return to the house that he had been calling home. Harry saw the moment that Esme sort of checked out on him, he could tell that something was bothering her but he wasn't sure what it was or if it was the same thing that he was having issues with. Bella Swan wasn't showing all her cards and for the life of Harry he got the feeling that the girl with messing with vetus magicae that need not be meddle with, there was vetus magicae that even Voldemort stayed away from because he could not wield it and here was some sixteen soon to be seventeen year old cunt that was meddling with vetus magicae that was more powerful than both Dumbledore and Voldemort put together. He would of course have to stop her from whatever it was that she was doing but it would not be because of the vampires, no this was just for him and him alone for this was bigger than vampires, werewolves and crazed wizards. Vetus magicae needed a champion and right now she didn't have one and was being used in a manner that would only result with a serious backlash, as it had been with Voldemort then he attempted using the vetus magicae that he was certain Swan was using, for he was certain she was using vetus magicae to keep people "seeing" her in a certain light. The more he thought about it the more he was beginning to believe that she was doing something and it was something major to make a vampire take notice.

"You have noticed something"

"I do" Harry said not really worried about his lack of talking, as he had always tended to be quiet while working through something. Esme watched Harry a look on her face that made Edward, who had managed to drag both Jasper and Emmett to the edge of the woods that lay behind Harry's house, so that he could attempt to get to what was *his*; he had yet to break out from the haze he seemed to be in the coeunt Luxuria manifestation. It was after breaking free from Jasper and Emmett that he ran directly into the window panes that lined the back of Harry's house thinking that he would hit the glass and the glass would shatter allowing him to be with his vere coniuge which was where he needed to be anyway next to his mate and that was all it boiled down to, his mate, his everything. And that was it wasn't it? Harry was his everything, his other half, the completion of his incomplete soul, something that he thought he need not have even with his time with Bella; he just was with her but with Harry he was so much more, words couldn't even begin to describe what it was like being around and with Harry. Edward tore at the glass attempting and failing to get into the house and to where Harry stood with his mother, a person's whose clothes he planned to steal the moment she got home if he couldn't get into the house as it looked to be happening. So instead he attempted to find an empty hole in the net that Harry had no doubt thrown over the house as soon as he was far enough away. There had a be a hole, somewhere, anywhere and Edward was left to crawling around the house trying to find that hole that wasn't there for him; Harry had made sure of that. If Harry had lived anywhere else the scene of Edward Cullen crawling around Harry's house like a spider, would send any normal person to the nearest eye doctor to have their eyes checked, for that was something that normal people would see only in the movies and definitely not in the small town of Forks. It was then that Harry began to laugh, oh this was laughable and it felt good laugh even if the reason was no laughing matter. It was then that Paul arrived at Harry's side while Edward attempted and failed to gain entry to the house with a look on his face that told the trio that Edward would find a way into the house and he was going to do it as soon as possible.

"Get Carlisle" Esme told Paul knowing he was probably the only person that would be able to catch up to Carlisle if he left to begin with.

"Don't go" Harry said, he knew that as soon as Paul got out of the safety of the home that Edward would be attacking him as a mate would if he had accepted the mating offer something that he had not done but it seemed in Edward's mind he had.

"But we need to get Carlisle" Esme explained to Harry, they needed to talk to Carlisle and the sooner they did so the sooner things could and would be cleared up.

"Phone is the best..." here the door bell rang as if on cue; it seemed that Carlisle didn't need to be called for he was at the door ringing the door bell or at least that is what Esme and Harry thought.

"Don't you dare touch the door" Paul growled out, he didn't know if this was a ploy of Edward's or if Carlisle really was on the other side of the door.

"Call" Harry said before sinking to the floor, this was too much for him. He didn't know what to think. First it seemed that the Cullen Coven cared little about him, only to then find Paul and the shape-shifting wolf pack and now here was Edward crawling around his house like a spider looking for entrance because he finally realized Harry as his mate, his vere coniuge, and the coven was back to figuring that they had a place in his life once again.

"Harry" Paul said dropping to the floor next to Harry and hearing a growl coming from Edward who was on the other side of the glass that he had attempted to break to be by his vere coniuge, his everything, Harry.

"How long will it hold?" Paul asked Harry as he cradled the other boy in his arms. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Edward managed to break through he just didn't know how long from now that would be.

"I don't know...get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!" Harry screamed holding his head as Edward tore through the barriers he had previously been unable to get through as if they were wet tissue paper.

"Edward do as he bids" Esme said before they felt a wash of calm that came from Jasper no doubt. Soon the pain eased from Harry's mind and Edward was left standing at the window with a hand to the glass, calmer than anyone had seen him before. Harry looked at the window and tears began to fall down his face, Edward had done something not even Dumbledore had been able to do and that was to "see" his real thoughts and how dark they truly were. Was this acceptance or was this just Edward playing the wounded vampire to get what he wanted, which seemed to be him for that moment in time?

"What's going on?" Paul growled out right behind the still sitting Harry, he was protecting what was his until Harry told him not to.

"He knows, he's seen and he knows" Harry stated incoherently, at that moment in time there wasn't anyone else in the world but Edward. Harry then stood and made his way to the glass window not really realizing what he was doing instead he just knew he had to be closer to Edward.

"Don't" Paul said trying to break Harry out of the daze he seemed to be in since his eyes met Edward's.

"Don't you dare touch that glass" Paul said again this time breaking Harry out of the daze that he had been in. Harry took a step away from the glass noticing for the first time that he had brought his hand up to match it with Edward's. Harry shook his head, this wasn't what he wanted or what he needed and yet it seemed as if magic had done something to him to attempt to do bring him closer to his power mate.

"Calm lover" Paul said pulling Harry to him now that they were standing near the large wall of glass windows. He knew the small teen was shaken up by what had happened, he only hoped that for the vampire's sake that Harry wouldn't rip Edward limb from limb for what had just occurred.

"Call your husband, that door isn't opening so things are going the way I say they are and that means you are going to call your Sire and make him come back." Paul said since he was now running the show Harry was in no way able to do what needed to be done since he seemed almost comatose over what had just happened. Esme nodded her head and made the call on her cell phone, Carlisle picked up immediately.

"Harry is pretty shaken up" Esme said by way of 'Hello' she knew she need not say anything else for Carlisle along with everyone else at least half of what had just gone on between Harry and Edward.

"I would imagine so, might I talk to him?" Carlisle asked, he sort of already knew the answer to his question but he thought he would ask any way.

"Harry, Carlisle wishes to speak to you"

"No" Paul said immediately, there was no way he was going to allow any of the vampires to talk to Harry now.

"If Harry wishes to speak to Carlisle, he will do so" Esme snapped out to Paul, Harry wasn't some sort of invalid or something like that, he could make his own decision.

"I'm in the room here" Harry said a small smile on his face, it was nice to be fought over for something basic instead of about a war that he didn't want to take part in.

"Harry" Esme and Paul called out at the same time before looking at each other and giving the evil eye to each other.

"I need some time" Harry said answering the question on if he wanted to talk to Carlisle or not before breaking away from the hold that Paul had on him. Paul didn't fight him on it, he knew Harry needed some time to digest what had just happened. He had just hoped that he would have been able to do it with him. He was hurt but he understood what was going on and that Harry would have had to deal with it and deal with it in his own way. As Harry walked towards his office the large glass window frosted out, making it impossible to see in or see out. Harry could hear the whine from the other side of the window, he needed some time, he needed to understand why in the world Edward had just now realized that he was his vere coniuge and further more specifically what in the world Bella Swan had gotten herself into with whatever vetus magicae she had invoked to get Edward's attention and affection. He knew there would be huge backlash and for some reason he felt that he need not be part of whatever game it was that Bella Swan and vetus magicae this was her problem not his. After all hadn't been Hermione that told him he had a 'hero complex' and felt the need to save people that could handle things themselves? Nothing good ever came from messing with vetus magicae, it was old and ancient magic that only the powerful of the powerful would even attempt to use and the last five people to successfully harness or at least there had been 5 recorded users of vetus magicae had been the founders of Hogwarts and Merlin.

"Out" Paul said to Esme rudely, even though she was probably welcome in Harry's home Paul knew that Harry wanted to be left alone so that he could think things through at least for the time being.

"I'm sure you have no say over if I stay or go, Mr. Lahote" Esme said in a tone that told Paul what she really thought of him. Something that was rare to hear from Esme since most of the time she was the next level headed vampire in the coven behind Carlisle.

"Well, I don't care what you think, you need to go. Harry would want it that way"

"And where do you think you will be? Hmmmm, waiting like the dog you are for Harry to throw you a bone?"

"Paul" Harry called and it was then that Esme's face turned into a look of horror. She hadn't meant for Harry to hear her, she had figured she would keep her nasty words low enough that Harry wouldn't hear her and instead Harry had probably heard her nasty words to Paul and had possibly closed a door that had just been opened to her.

"Just leave" Paul said before walking over towards where Harry stood a hand out and a look on his face that told Esme that she needed to let herself out, she was no longer welcome in Harry's home any longer.

"Go, I'll call later" Harry said hoping that those words would send Edward and the rest of the Cullens back to their home instead of outside his house where he knew Edward, Alice, Jasper along with Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett all stood waiting. Paul didn't bother to watch Esme leave or if she left, she knew that she was no longer needed in the room or house. Edward latched onto Esme hand the moment she passed through the barriers that prevented Edward entrance into his house.

"What does he see in that dog?" Rosalie asked, she was having a hard time with not being the center of attention or close to the center of whatever drama was going on.

"Rosalie, that is what got us to where we are now" Carlisle cut in, he need not bring up Esme's last gaff so nothing was said.

"Is he okay?" Edward asked like a small child would ask a parent about a sick pet.

"He's fine, Mr. Lahote will I'm certain take good care of Harry in our stead."

"Right" Edward said while nodding his head. He knew that Paul wouldn't do anything that he thought would be a bad idea or infringe on the treaty in anyway but Edward didn't understand that Harry was hurting and something...magic and fate would play her hand once again in Harry's life.

"We go home and wait for Harry to call, all of us" Carlisle said giving Edward a look, he knew the vampire would be here the whole night if it took that to allow himself entrance into the house once again.

"But"

"No Edward, we wait at home. We at least should allow Harry that much privacy"

"But"

"The more you talk the more you are making it harder to have Harry back in your life. Right now he wants Paul Lahote, so we will respect that. When Harry wants or needs us back in his life he will let us know." Carlisle said laying down the law for the coven.

"If Harry calls on any one of us it will be them and them alone, understood?" Carlisle said giving a look to Alice and Edward, the pair were close enough to share thoughts and feelings and that was the last thing that Carlisle wanted happening with the small teen boy that had so wanted to be family and instead they had listened to Edward about Bella Swan and now they were in the situation they were in.

"Understood?" Carlisle asked once more, both looked at the other and then nodded their heads, they would find a way around the restriction one way or another.

"Understood, unhappy but understood" Alice said before giving one of those grins that said she knew more than she was letting on as was her way. It was then that Edward ran into the forest back to their house, he needed some time to clean his room of the things that Swan had given to him. He now wanted them out of the house and out of his life, for some reason he knew that the items had some sort of magic to them and he didn't want to be pulled back into whatever scheme that Swan had going on, for at this point he knew she had some sort of plan or scheme to get his attention and affection, something that had firmly been with Harry until she had arrived and cast a spell on the town of Forks. Even as he entered the house and picked up each item to place them in a box, he could feel the pull of the magic, now more so than ever before. Edward knew the moment everyone was in the house and he brought down the small box of trinkets that Swan had given to him as gifts. At the time he had thought it was cute, but now he wanted to burn the items and never speak to the girl again.


	12. Chapter 12

"Do you feel that?" Jasper asked the coven, he along with Edward were the most in-tune with people's thoughts and emotions and there was definitely something coming from the items sitting in a box. There was almost an odor coming from box now that the items had been collected and were sitting together.

"I had been noticing" Carlisle started to point out what everyone else could now see and smell coming from the items in the box. None of the items were large but they were big enough to make a noticeable effect on a person if worn or carried for a long period of time, say a school day. Most of the items he had carried for the day and then thrown them to the side not thinking about the item ever again, which meant it sat in his room with the other items that he refused to either wear or carry with him for more than a day. He should have followed his vampire instincts, they would have told him that what he was doing wasn't right and that he best not continue what he was doing to not only himself but to Harry as well.

"An odor" Alice supplied, she had noticed it like the rest of them but had passed it off as just something in the air not something related to Bella and the small gifts she had been showering Edward with.

"Yes, but it was almost like a scent that was ever constant…." Jasper concluded, he along with the rest of the coven were coming to realize that Bella Swan was doing more than what they thought she was.

"Fragrance" each person supplied as they gathered around the box.

"I say we burn them, it's the only safe way to know no one else has them" Emmett said looking resolute in what they should do with the items that now lay in the box with them surrounding it.

"But what will happen to them? I mean if magic is involved that could get dicey."

"We put them in a lead lined box and wait for Harry"

"This isn't Superman" Edward growled out, were none of his coven mates taking him seriously?

"No but there is a reason why human use lead to cover themselves when getting X-rays." Edward nodded his head tightly in agreement, he along with the rest of the coven knew the effects that X-rays and the like had on human bodies, since they were undead the effects weren't the same and so they didn't care much about the side effects.

"Fine a lead lined box, but we destroy them the first moment we get" Edward said, he wanted the items out and away from him and anyone else in the coven.

"So what's the plan?" Emmett asked, he just didn't see Edward waiting around for Harry to come around but then again Carlisle had laid down the law and said that they were to wait for Harry to come to them.

"We wait"

"But what if that isn't what needs to happen, what should happen" Emmett said looking to Alice for some sort of help but not getting much since she was busy trying to see anything that would help the group in the quest to get back into Harry's good graces.

"Emmett, Harry is a grown man and if he says leave him be, then we do so."

"But what if that wolf sells him on the idea of pack life"

"Then we deal with it. We were wrong in what we did and it serves us right for turning our backs on him the way we did. We should have stuck by him even if he wasn't Edward's mate." It was after that, the phone soon rang with Bella on the end of the phone asking to speak to Edward about what had happened at school and that she was willing to work things out, like she had been the one to break things off with Edward. Edward shook his head 'no' in wanting to talk to the girl, whatever it was that she was doing was dangerous therefore she was dangerous herself and he didn't want to deal with that at that current moment in time. Edward soon let out a whine that had all of the vampires there hurting for him. He had turned his back on his mate and now there was the real possibility that his mate would turn away from him and he would be alone to live out his existence in the solitude that he had been given for there was no way that he would be happy with someone else now that he found his mate. He would have to wait to find out what his mate decision was.


	13. Chapter 13

_~Meanwhile at Harry's Home~_

"Lover" Paul called to Harry who watched as the group left. He didn't know what to do for his friend but he did know that something needed to be done and fast. Something was going on and there was a deeper magic than even he was aware of, he would of course let Sam know as soon as possible, if he didn't already know but he was here for Harry first and the pack second. Paul watched Harry and waited, he knew that whatever was going to happen had to come from the small teen boy and not him. He did know one thing and that he didn't plan to do anything that the pair of them would regret later, but at the moment he wasn't sure what that line was.

"Paul" Harry said holding out a hand and waiting for the older of the pair to come to him and come Paul did, he wrapped his large warm body around Harry and made him feel as if everything in the end would work it's self out and that he need only stay cocooned in the other man's arms for that safety to occur.

"Love me" Harry whispered, he didn't care that he would live to regret it later, he wanted something to show that he was a worthwhile person that people loved him for him and not because fate was playing a cruel joke.

"No" Paul said, he knew the other boy would regret what would happen later and he didn't want to be that person.

"Please"

"No, you will regret it and we both know it" Paul shook his head, there was nothing he could do for the teen except be there for him in an emotional way not a physical way that he wanted or thought he needed. Harry nodded his head, yes he knew he would regret it but at the moment he didn't care.

"Something more is at play" Harry said after a beat, he would think of other things to keep his mind off of the thought that fate had played him for a fool yet again and made him the mate of a vampire, one that he would have thought before Bella Swan that Fate was giving him a boon, but now it was a cruel joke as usual.

"I agree with you there lover"

"But what?" Harry asked wondering if anyone knew the answer, whether that be the medicine man in La Push or even Dumbledore or Voldemort. He knew of an old coot and a power crazed half-blood that might know but he wasn't in the mood to try and get caught just to figure out what Bella Swan was doing to get Edward to become her boyfriend and act as if she had hung the moon. Even if she was his singer she was still doing something else to make Edward act the way that he had.

"Fate what is your game?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

"Lover"

"I'm fine Paul; I just want to know what the point is to this. Fate is always playing cruel jokes on me and this is just one more. I love Edward, always have but I knew that being his mate was something that could never happen but now here I am being told by Edward and the rest of the coven that I am not only his mate but his vere coniuge."

"Harry, you don't have to bow to what they want"

"Oh but I do"

"No you don't, we could..."

"No, you have an imprint and they deserve to be happy with you. That is one thing that you should never settle on. I'm not worth it" Harry said reliving his time with his relatives, they had left scars on him that weren't only physical.

"Oh but you are. You center me. You may not be my mate, my imprint but you mean something very special to me"

"But I'm not your imprint, always remember that" Harry wasn't going to allow Paul to settle on him when there was someone out there for him. He just didn't think he would be able to give up the shape-shifting wolf if they did come together. He may love Edward but it had been the Cullens that had made the choice of Swan over him. The girl hadn't even been invited over and yet Esme and Alice were practically planning the wedding between Swan and Edward and Edward hadn't even spoken to the girl by then.

"Then does that mean that you will allow that, that, that vampire into our life?"

"You already know the answer to that question, and was there ever any question?" Paul nodded his head; he knew that it was just a matter of time before Harry would end up with Edward but he could hope that Harry would see the vampires in a negative light.

"Then what are you going to do? Allow him in after all he put you through?"

"I will allow them all to prove to me that I mean more than just being Edward's vere coniuge. Edward's actions may be caused by something totally out of his control, but it was the rest of them that decided I wasn't worth anything to them now that Edward had possibly found his mate." Harry said before getting angry for letting Esme back into his life and so easily, it had been her and Alice that had squealed when Edward came stomping in one day ranting and raving about the "new girl" and what she did to him that he had never felt before.

"So you are just going to let him slide? And what about the one that was here, wasn't she part of the decision making for the coven of them?" Paul was angry that Harry would allow the vampires in so easily.

"Did I say that? I'm going to let them prove to me that they won't do that sort of thing to me again, from there it will go as Fate plans it."

"But it's not fair" Paul said, Harry could tell that the man had something else on his mind that he wasn't saying but Harry knew that it would have to be Paul to say something because asking would be pointless.

"I love you" Paul blurted out, he had been trying to focus on the situation with a rational mind but for the life of him he just couldn't allow Harry to get away. He was something that Paul had never had before, a friend and a person who understood him in a way that the pack and tribe didn't. Most thought of him as the hot-head of the pack, the one most likely to get into fights and it was true to a certain extent but ever since Harry arrived into his life, he had been a totally different person and that had made the tribe and pack happy. They had seen the changes and been amazed that someone besides his mate could ground him as much as Harry had. Harry looked at Paul and could tell that the man was telling him the truth something that he so rarely got given his life history. If it wasn't his relatives it was the headmaster and then finally his godfather the one person that he thought would understand his need to know the truth. Instead the other man had done as Dumbledore had asked and had sent him back to his Aunt and Uncle's house with the lie about needing to be available for the Order even though that wasn't the truth at all. He had only found out that the man was being untrue by over hearing a conversation that he shouldn't have with Professor Lupin and his godfather, the pair had been waiting for him in at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade during a Hogsmeade weekend. He had been under the invisibility cloak when he had come upon his godfather and Professor Lupin who were talking in a secluded corner about what they would tell him once he arrived on why he had to go back to his Aunt and Uncle's house instead of going to live with his godfather as the man had promised years earlier. When he learned that the pair was going on a world tour since Sirius had been declared innocent in the years after he met the man, he had realized how stupid they thought him as since he always took what a person said at face value, how wrong he had been.

"What about liking birds?" Harry asked, after all it was Paul that had said he liked the female population better than the male.

"I am what my imprint is"

"But I'm not your imprint"

"But I could be happy with you" Paul said, he had this feeling that if he didn't do or say something that he would lose something good that had entered his life.

"But you are meant for your imprint, just as I am meant for Edward" Harry could feel that Paul was desperate, why he didn't know but he did know that Paul had a reason for saying the words he was currently saying.

"Paul, I'm not going anywhere not even the Cullen Coven will not be able to change that fact" it was then that Paul seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"The tribe will truly appreciate that" Paul said playing it off that he wasn't that big of a deal to him.

"Not you?" Harry said a grin on his face as he spoke; he knew that there were more than a few of the tribe's elders that would rejoice that he was still going to stick around but he also knew that Paul was probably the happiest of all that he would be sticking around. It was then that Paul began to turn red. Harry just laughed he knew Paul's feelings towards him now and he also knew that Paul would protect him to the death if it meant that, something that Sam probably wouldn't be too happy about but knew better then to worry about it, after all they had Jacob Black and his serious crush on Bella Swan and the threat she posed the pack and tribe.

"I'll go and start dinner; I would expect that it will be just the pair of us?"

"Yes, but I really think I need to talk to Sam about Jacob and his crush on Swan it could lead to some very hard questions that Jacob isn't yet ready to answer"

"Do you think that she is his imprint?"

"Imprint? No, the most that girl is an infatuation"

"I thought much the same thing but I didn't think it was my place to say anything" Harry was still very much uncertain on where he stood with the tribe and pack and speaking ill of a pack member was a big no-no.

"I think Sam would accept any input you have to give" Paul said, he may be Beta of the pack but he also knew that Sam would accept anything Harry had to say simply because of what he had done for the reservation in the short amount of time he had been there. Harry had been putting his money to good use there and there was nothing that Dumbledore or his godfather could do about it now, they had been taken off the accounts as soon as Harry have visited with the lead goblin about his account or more like accounts. Dumbledore had not been telling the whole truth when he told Harry about his trust account and the few galleons that lay inside of the vault. It was just too bad that he hadn't been in England to see the faces of the Weasley's, Hermione, Hagrid, and Dumbledore himself when money was taken out of their vaults only to be told where it was going back to. For the rest of the evening Harry cooked dinner and did his homework not really wanting to go to school now that he was on some sort of speaking terms with the Cullen family. He knew that Edward along with probably the rest of the coven would be waiting for him either outside his home or in the parking lot of school tomorrow. He hadn't quite decided on what he was going to do once he saw them but he knew he needed some sort of game plan before dealing with Edward, the Cullens and that cunt of a girl again.

"Do you think they'll show up at the house?" Paul said a while later, while Harry attempted to work on his government and coming up short on understanding. Maybe he would ask Jasper for some help, he knew that Jasper wouldn't be one to sell him on how Edward was lost without him like the rest probably would, even Rosalie since after all she cared about Edward in her own special way.

"I don't honestly know" Harry said giving the idea some thought, there was a very real possibility that they would show up even though Harry had told them to leave him be until he could figure things out, but that didn't mean that Edward wouldn't try to attempt to collect him from home in the morning.

"Will you go?" And that was the thought that brought him up short, on the one hand it would be nice to be back in the fold of the Cullen Coven but on the other side he had said leave him be until he contacted them.

"Well head to bed, the morning will come soon enough and you will see what the day brings" Paul said, he really need to head to the reservation and talk to not only Sam but also the elders about Bella Swan, she seemed to be more of a threat than they had originally thought.

"You heading back to the reservation?"

"Yeah, there are just some things that you need to talk to Sam in person about and this 'girl' is one of those things"

"Alright, well the doggie door will let you in if you want to come back."

"Okay, sweet. Love you" Paul said before pulling Harry into an embrace and then kissing the top of the small teen's head.

"Love you" Harry said a bit dazed that Paul had said the word that he yearned to always hear from the people he cared about. The Weasleys had never in his whole time of knowing them heard the words "I love you or love you" from the group and now he knew why. He also hadn't heard it from the one other person that he thought would and that was his godfather, instead he got a pat on the head and a "listen to the headmaster" before he left on his adventure to find himself.

"If it's late I'll crash at Sam's"

"Okay sure" Harry said before going over and giving Paul a hug, in all honesty he didn't want to be home alone but he was afraid that Paul would think that he was being needy. Paul looked at Harry for a moment, tilted his head to the side and made a decision.

"I will come straight back as soon as I'm done with Sam and the tribe elders"

"You don't have to come back, it's too far for you to come all the way back" Harry said attempting to make feeble excuses to not show that he needed Paul's company in the house.

"I want to come back, crashing on Sam's couch is not something that I want to do if I don't have to"

"Okay, so you'll come back" Harry said in a small voice, he had tried and failed to not sound needy, so there was no point in playing that I'm okay voice that he had been using.

"Of course lover, you need only ask" Paul said before pulling Harry into yet another hug and kissing the top of his head again. He knew that the leech would attempt to kill him if he would be the first person to have Harry's first real kiss. He could understand the reason why Edward was so protective of Harry now that he had him back in his life. The small teen just begged to be taken care of, not like he couldn't hold his own but you always got the feeling that the small teen wanted someone else to make decisions about things. Independent he may be, but he depended on others to make decisions in his life. Paul wondered if it had always been that way or if his past life made him that way.

"Okay, go talk to Sam. I'm heading to bed" Harry said fighting off a yawn, now that he knew the other man would be back he was quite tired, after all he had dealt with the Cullen Coven and the La Push Pack all in one day.

"Rest up and if you need me, text me"

"Okay" Harry said grabbing his phone and making his way upstairs and to his bedroom and bathroom to get ready for the night. Once ready for bed Harry got between the covers and attempted to plan out how he would deal with the Cullens and more specifically Edward, he knew that Edward would be like a shadow, wanting to be as close as possible to him now that he had figured out that they were meant for each other.


	14. Chapter 14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~La Push Reservation~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rev of a motorcycle motor was all that could be heard heading down the terrible roads that covered the reservation. Paul arrived to Sam's and Emily's house and saw that the lights were still on meaning the pair was up, something that he was grateful for since he hated to wake Sam and Emily up to discuss pack business. It was a push of the doorbell that had Sam answering the door, looking ready to chew someone out until he saw that it was Paul.

"What's up?"

"Harry is fine, but I think we need to address the crush that Jacob has on Bella Swan, there is just something off about her and I fear for the pack and tribe if Jacob let's it slip about what he is, what we are"

"You're right but I don't know if me laying alpha law down will work with him"

"Then what?"

"Show Jacob just how self-centered the girl really is. She only seems to come around when she wants her truck fixed after she has done something to it."

"I only think that will work for a short period of time, that girl is messing with some serious magic"

"Did Harry tell you that"

"Yes, he also said something about how this magic would demand payment, a boon I think he said, to gain what it is that the person desires"

"And do we know what that boon will be?"

"No, but I have a feeling it isn't something easy, it will cost her something that not even she will want to give up"

"I will speak to the elders in the morning and see what their take on this is"

"Thank you"

"No, thank you" Sam watched Paul and had to be amazed at the changes that had occurred since Harry had entered the other man's life. He had gone from the hot-headed, fly off the handle at the littlest things to becoming a man that thought before acting something that Paul was so not known for. Now though Paul seemed level headed not at all ready to fly off the handle for the littlest things that would normally have the other man in orbit about it.

"You love him" Sam said easily being able to tell that Paul had more than friendly feelings for Harry.

"I do"

"But he's not your imprint"

"No, but he is meant to be part of my life"

"No, he is meant to be in all of our lives." Sam said, for once in his stint of being the Alpha of the pack he could tell that Harry was meant to be part of the tribe and he had the dancing wolves around his wrist to show it.

"Go back, he is probably sitting awake waiting" Sam had figured out quickly that Harry didn't do well with being alone.

"Thank you" Paul said before leaving Sam's house and making his way back to Harry's wanting to make sure that the small teen was okay. Paul arrived back to Harry's house to notice that there was one light on in the house, which meant that Harry wasn't asleep as he had told the small teen to do.

"Honey, I'm home" Paul said as he made his way through the doggie dog and then shifting back into his human form.

"Paul" Harry said surprised that the man actually came back. He had figured that Paul would just crash at Sam's for the night before heading to work since he had a job that he need to go to.

"You didn't go to bed, you need rest"

"Yes mom" Harry said a smile on his lips, Paul really did care. He was still uncertain on if letting the Cullens back into his life was such a good idea or not since he knew it would be hard on the shape-shifters in having to deal with their mortal enemy.

"Mother I may be but you need all the rest you can get since I have a feeling that you will need to deal with the vampires sooner than you may want to" Harry nodded his head at that, he had been thinking much the same thing while attempting to distract himself until either Paul came back or he fell asleep, whichever came first. Harry soon fell asleep happy to know that someone was in the house to protect his sleeping form. He had rarely gotten sleep at the Dursley's since Vernon always wanted to dole out punishments at the weirdest time, and then there was sleeping with a room full of boys, most of which couldn't pass a Potions test if they were given the answers, that definitely left him hesitant to fall asleep while they were awake. They had called him a prude once when they had all been measuring their cocks and Harry hadn't joined in. Prude he may be but he thought that the scars on his body might show the rest how great his life had been or was while living with his relatives. He knew that the Weasleys at least suspected since they had rescued him when there had been bars on the windows of the second bedroom. He in no way thought of that as his, it was a place that his Aunt and Uncle put broken things once Dudley destroyed it.

"Quit thinking" Paul called out from the extra bedroom that he had been staying in while the roof on his shack of a house got fixed.

"You know me too well" Harry called out and then stopped thinking about Hogwarts and Britain in general, nothing good would come of it so he had no point of thinking about it.


	15. Chapter 15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morning~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry woke with a start, he had been dreaming about the oddest thing. He was almost a specter watching as the Weasleys, Hermione Granger, Hagrid and Dumbledore were told that they didn't have access to his accounts and that the funds that had been withdrawn had been done so on behalf of Harry account manager. Which of course sent Dumbledore into a fit and he had been watching as the group got shut down from one goblin to another, none of them were messing with the orders that had been left dealing with Harry's accounts.

"You okay" Paul said sticking his head in and seeing Harry with that wild eyed look.

"I just had the weirdest dream is all" Harry said shaking off the feeling he had woken up with.

"You alright?" Paul asked concerned that Harry had, had a nightmare. He had many nights spent time in Harry's bedroom calming the small teen, whatever had happened in his life hadn't been good and Harry was still reliving some of the effects on a night to night basis. Paul could see how living and being friends with vampires had major benefits, they never slept so they in essence could and would be able to protect from the night horrors that a person sometimes relived, if their life had horrors that could haunt their dreams such as Harry seemed to have.

"Fine, fine, just had the weirdest dream is all" Harry said in response before shaking himself out of the feelings he had at seeing the people that had betrayed him. He wasn't sure how to feel about seeing them but he had a certain satisfaction in seeing them knocked down a peg or two even if it was only in a dream.

"But you are okay?" Paul asked concerned, he always hated that he couldn't do more for the small teen then just offering comfort but it seemed that, that was Harry craved and practically needed on a day-to-day basis.

"Yeah for once, I'm okay" Harry said shaking off the dream and attempting to get ready for the day ahead, one which he knew would be a long one since he knew that with the Cullens speaking to him again he would be back on display as he had been before Bella Swan had arrived.

"Well you know…" Paul said offering anything to Harry should he need it.

"I'm fine, honestly" Harry said while rolling out of bed and making his way to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day. Paul nodded his head to an empty room and then made his way back to what he was calling 'his' room since he in no way was going to be pushed aside by the vampires, they would have to kill him first and he didn't see that happening since Harry had a set of dancing wolves around his wrist to show that he was meant for pack life even though he may be destined for a vampire as a mate. It was while Harry was getting dressed that Paul smelled the vampires as they arrived in the driveway.

"Don't they get it?" Paul knew that Harry would be pissed but it would be a matter of if he said something or not that would be the sign on where he stood with his feelings about the vampires back in his life.

"Why the face?" Harry asked once he was dressed and sitting in the kitchen searching his refrigerator for something to eat for lunch, which was slim since Paul had been literally eating him out of house and home. The man could pack some food away and still had the body that most men would envy, and the type of body that women drooled over.

"You know why the face" Paul said knowing that Harry would figure it out soon enough.

"They're here, I told them to stay away" Harry said knowing that the Cullens couldn't hear him as he had his home silenced against other's hearing conversations while in his house.

"That doesn't mean that they would listen"

"True, they are trying though, I guess" Harry said not sounding at all happy with the prospect of having to deal with the group of vampires before he arrived to school, that would just bring more attention to him than he wanted at the current moment.

"If you want, I can tell them to leave"

"No, no….I'll deal with this on my own, I need to" Harry said before getting up from the table and making his way to the front door. He may be willing to let them back in his life but they had to listen to him when he said something or told them to do something.

"Harry" Edward said leaning against his Volvo with none of the other Cullens present.

"I thought I told you to let me figure things out"

"I thought that…." Here Edward faltered, he had at the time thought that it would be back to status quo and nothing had changed between them but now that he was here he was rethinking what he had been thinking.

"Things aren't the same Edward. You and I aren't friends, at best your someone I care about but you now have to earn back the status that you once had" there Harry said what he had planned on saying to Edward should he show up at the house this morning, which he figured would happen.

"I'm sorry, I just hoped to spend some time with you before school" Edward felt like a complete heel now thinking things through. Harry sighed, he couldn't fault Edward's train of thought but that didn't mean that he got to do whatever he wanted and get away with it. He was just trying to get some personal time with Harry before they arrived back to Forks High School and the drama that was no doubt about to unfold since word had been spread around about Edward's breakup with Bella.

"Edward" Harry said with a sigh, he couldn't fault the vampire. He knew what the vampire must be going through after figuring out that Harry was his vere coniuge and not Bella.

"Will you at least allow me to take you to school?" Edward said looking for once in his 100 year existence, uncertain.

"Fine, but don't think you've won anything and don't think that you will take me over to your house once school is done. I have things that need to be done at the reservation." Harry huffed secretly glad to see that Edward had come alone and wanted to spend time with him. He was still a bit self conscious about if Edward was doing this because he wanted to or because he was the vampire's mate.

"Stop thinking and get your bag, you'll make us late" Edward reminded the smaller teen before Harry disappeared into the house only to have Paul Lahote come out with a look on his face that told the vampire he meant business, then again his thoughts were much the same thing so Edward was prepared.

"If you even think of hurting him again, I will personally find a way to kill you" Edward couldn't fault the other man and nodded his head in agreement. He didn't want to even think how he would feel if he hurt Harry again.

"I'll do my best, you have my promise on that" Edward said before his eyes lit up when he saw Harry, it was then that Paul knew that Edward would do everything in his power to treat Harry as he deserved to be treated and that was as the most precious item in the world, which he was to Paul and now Edward.

"Paul quit staring him down. Tell Sam I'll be by after school to help out with tribal hall remodel" Harry said he had been helping the small reservation with major updates and fixes to things that were very much in need of repair. Paul's house wasn't the only house that needed fixing up, the whole reservation did and Harry was going to do as much as he could for the small tribe because they were part of his family now and since he had the money he figured he would help where they would allow him to.

"Okay" Paul said still staring at Edward knowing that the vampire could read his thoughts and pushing what sort of death he would have should be harm Harry in any way.

"Paul, down boy" Harry joked before sliding into the passenger's side of the car and waiting for Edward to get in the car. Finally the stare broke and Edward got into the car with a nod of his head. He got the message loud and clear and he knew that if he screwed up again he wouldn't only be dealing with Harry and Paul, but the whole tribe and his family which he knew would chew him out should he do anything stupid again.

The first few minutes of the drive were made in silence; Harry didn't know what to talk to Edward about since it had been weeks since he had actually talked to the vampire as a friend and family member. He didn't know what the Cullens had done with him gone from the house and he knew little on what Edward had done since most of his time was spent with Bella, a person that Harry really didn't want to talk about. Edward was in much the same boat, he had been in "Bella Land" as he was calling it for the past few weeks and he didn't have a clue as to what the small teen had been doing with his spare time although it sounded like he had been spending much of his free time with the wolves in La Push.

"Do you think Jasper would be able to tutor me in government" Harry asked, he had been looking for a tutor but he didn't want someone that would go and tell the school about how his house looked if they were to do the tutoring at his home.

"Yeah, probably love it" Edward said a bit hurt in Harry asking for Jasper and not him.

"I just figure he's would be a good choice" Harry said now feeling kind of bad for asking the question.

"Unless of course you would like to help me" Harry quickly followed with, he wouldn't mind spending time with Edward, since he had yearned for the vampire's company for weeks now. He may be angry with the vampire but that didn't mean that he missed spending his free time with the vampire, just being in the company of someone that understood him. Paul was a great friend and person to talk to but he just didn't 'get' him, which was why he yearned for vampire.

"Yeah, I would love to" Edward said secretly dancing in the seat of his car at being asked to help tutor Harry. Jasper may be a government nut but he had been around for a hundred or so years and had time to pick up a thing or two about government and major American milestones since his change.

"Great, I think we have a test coming up and I'm totally lost on what Mr. Hopkins is talking about" Harry said happy to finally have someone else help him, he had been steadily getting worse and worse grades on assignments for government since he couldn't seem to keep up with the rest of the class.

"We can start today" Edward threw out, not wanting Harry to spend any time with the La Push wolves, he was Edward's not theirs.

"No, I have to go over to the rez to help out" Harry said standing firm, he wouldn't buckle because Edward wanted him to, he could tell the vampire was not happy with his words but knew better than to try and make him do otherwise.

"How about after?"

"I'll probably be dead tired, but tomorrow for sure" Harry said, hoping that Edward would accept what he was offering with as little fuss as he could.

"Okay, sure" Edward said still not happy but knowing better than to try and sell Harry on doing the tutoring today. Harry had made a promise and he planned to keep it. That was one thing that he had learned about the small teen in the short amount of time he had known him, that Harry always kept his word. They soon arrived to the Forks' High School parking lot and saw that the rest of the Cullens and Hales had arrived and seemed to be saving Edward a spot in the parking lot next to Rosalie's convertible. The rumor mill had already begun since they had arrived without Edward and Bella was firmly standing next to Jessica and Mike on the watch for Edward's car to arrive to the parking lot.

"Great" Harry said looking out the windshield and seeing the faces of the Forks High School population looking at Edward's car and who was in it with Edward.

"I would say it won't be bad but then I would be lying" Edward said before pulling the Volvo into the spot next to Rosalie's convertible where the rest of the coven minus Carlisle and Esme stood. A grin lit up Alice's face when she saw Harry, her best friend was back! It may take some time but she knew this time around would be for the long haul, she could just tell. She hadn't seen anything yet but she now knew that Harry was meant to be part of their family, unlike Bella had been. Thinking back on things now it was pretty evident what Bella Swan wanted from them and it wasn't to be part of their family. Instead she paraded around with bobbles that she had gotten Edward to buy for her to show how much better she was then the rest of the high school population.

"Harry!" Alice chirped before she saw the blush that had made its way to Harry's face, after all Edward had gone around the car and opened the door for him as if he was back in the time when men did that sort of thing for the one they were courting. This of course made most of the population that was standing outside turn and see that Edward Cullen had arrived and with him was Harry Griffin, something that made Bella Swan see red, this was not how she imagined things would go. She had, had a fool proof plan but yet here she was standing next to boring old Mike and Jessica watching as Edward acted like a gentleman to that waif of a *boy*, Harry Griffin, and what kind of name was that anyway? Griffin? Anyway that was besides the point, the point was it should be her that Edward is opening the door for, and it should be her getting out of Edward's car with Alice giving her a welcome, not that, that *boy*. Bella's thoughts went along these lines right up until the 5 minute bell rang, all the while watching as the Cullens and Harry talked in what she thought was a much too casual manner.

"Hi Alice" Harry said in greeting turning red as Edward held the door and helped him out of the car. Jeez! He felt like such a girl now, and to top things off most if not all of the Forks High School population were watching the group with a critical eye, Harry knew that by lunchtime rumors would be running around in abundance and either the Cullens or Harry would need to speak to Harry's change of status in the Cullen/Hale family.

"Are you coming over to the house after school?" Alice asked knowing that Esme was already planning a huge feast for when Harry made his way back to the house.

"No, I have to go to the rez and help out with the updates they are finally getting done" Harry said not at all sorry that he wouldn't be able to go over to the Cullen house, he had built a family with the La Push wolves and he wasn't going to stop being friends and family to them just to make the Cullens more comfortable.

"Oh, well you know Esme can't wait until you come over" Alice said pushing a little bit, most of the time Harry would buckle and do what they wanted but they would have to find out on their own that he was sticking to his guns on this one, the La Push wolves were a part of his life now and they would just have to accept it.

"Oh well, maybe tomorrow" Harry said knowing that Alice had fully expected him to back down and cave in about coming to the house today.

"Oh" Alice said down, she had hoped that if she pushed things just a little bit that Harry would buckle and he would soon be back to the way they had been before Bella Swan had entered the picture.

"Edward's going to tutor me in government since I'm crap at American government it seems" Harry joked, being British did have its drawbacks this being one of them.

"Oh, Esme will be so excited to see you" Alice said not wanting to dampen her spirits with Harry not being available today but instead tomorrow. It was about that time that the bell rang and Harry was making his way to his first class of the day with Edward walking along side him.

"We'll see you at lunch" Alice said as a goodbye with Jasper on her arm and Emmett and Rosalie leaving for their first classes of the day as well.

"I can make it to my class just fine Edward" Harry said a grin on his face, Edward was acting like a beau courting his lovely lady, he didn't even think that Bella got walked to each class that she had, but Harry had the feeling he would be seeing Edward after every class ended for the day.

"You can but I want to walk with you" Edward said embarrassed at wanting to be as close to Harry as much as possible while at school. He knew that Bella would surface at some point but he would deal with her when that time came. Speaking of which, here came the cunt of a girl now not looking happy at all.

"Edward" Bella whined as she got close enough to the pair of them to make her whine noticeable. Most of the vampires winced at the tone and pitch that she used even though they were ahead of the pair.

"Bella" Edward said in greeting, he didn't have a thing to say to the girl but it seemed that she wasn't going to let this lay as it should. And he noticed that the smell they had smelled before was back and it seemed to be coming from Bella, it was the oddest smell but now that he had smelled it he noticed it right away.

"I thought you were going to pick me up? I had to get a ride with Jessica and Mike, again" Bella said putting stress on the again in the sentence, she wanted to make sure that Edward understood that this was unacceptable to her to have to bum rides from other people when Edward was available and still her boyfriend to do it.

"I don't need to pick you up, we are no longer together"

"Oh yes we are silly" Bella said as if she was talking to a child, here Harry raised an eyebrow. Was the girl dense or did she really think that she was still with Edward?

"No Bella we are not and I made it very clear to you yesterday about your status with me."

"That didn't mean anything" Bella said truly believing that she and Edward were still together and just going through a rough patch, after all Harry tended to create trouble when he was around and he had to be doing *something* to make the Cullens and Hales notice him all of a sudden.

"Bella we are done, we are no longer together and I would cease these thoughts that we are still together" Edward at this point so wanted Harry's hand in his but he knew he would have to wait for that, this wasn't the time for that sort of display, especially with Bella there to make comment on it.

"But…but" Bella said finally getting the point that Edward was serious with her and that he wanted nothing to do with her. The old crone had said that what she had been given was fool proof and that the one she desired would want her for all eternity but it seemed that whatever the old woman had given her had worn off, she would just have to find the old lady and tell her that whatever she had wasn't working and that she needed to refresh it or something. Yes that was what she would do, Bella decided before backing down and acting the part of a sad girl whose heart had been broken by Edward. She knew that once the old crone did her magic Edward would rage in jealousy at the male attention she would receive until she could find the old lady. It was with that smug thought that Bella made her way over to Mike and Jessica crocodile tears running down her face and a look of pure devastation on her face.

"Be careful with her" Harry warned, there was a smugness that he noticed as she made her way back to Mike and Jessica that no one seemed to notice, it was almost as if she knew that Edward would be hers again and it was only a matter of time that the vampire would come crawling back to her, this just made his thoughts of her messing with Magix she need not be dealing with even more true.

"We know, we think she's messing with magic, we have a box full of stuff that we think is covered in magic at the house. We didn't know what to do with it so we put it in a lead lined box" Edward said which had Harry turn a pale color, this wasn't good at all. Who knew what she was doing or what they were dealing with, he would have to take a look at the items and see if there was any sort of signature left on them of the maker, but he highly doubted that there would be at least not at this point in time.

"Bring it by my house tonight, even if you have to leave it at the front door. I need to take a look at them and see if there is a signature on them and if there is a way to destroy them without any backlash" Harry was already planning tests in his mind on what he could do, he may have acted the part of dumb luck Harry Potter, but he had been an avid reader while at Hogwarts and during the summer, when he could get away with it. Hermione and probably Draco Malfoy had nothing on him. He just made sure he did the minimum and got by as they expected the clueless Harry Potter to do and all the while he was reading and taking out book after book to catch himself up to where he should be in his magical education and his non-magical education. He was actually glad when his Aunt or more specifically his Uncle, threw Dudley's old books in his room since that allowed him to read and keep up with his British education, now here in American he was lost on things like American History and Government since those sorts of things weren't taught in England, after all what did they have to talk about a country that gained independence from them? Now the rest of his classes he was on par with what they were teaching and he seemed to be keeping up fairly well which he was surprised by since they were Dudley's old books which meant they were from the year he had just completed. The books where in like new condition and he still had them actually, after all it wasn't like Dudley needed them; he had his boxing career to worry about according to Uncle Vernon, which was why he got the hell out of there. He wasn't going to continue to be Dudley's punching bag for a moment longer, he didn't think he could take that and his Uncle Vernon for another summer.


	16. Chapter 16

"Harry" Edward said jarring Harry out of the thoughts that he had been having about his Uncle and cousin and his life back in Britain.

"Sorry about that" Harry said shaking himself of those thoughts, they would get him nowhere and at the present moment he needed to figure out what the hell Bella Swan had gotten herself and possibly Edward into.

"You okay?" Edward asked concerned over Harry's reflective mood.

"Yeah, just thinking about things that I need not be thinking about" Harry said and it was then that the bell rang for classes to begin and a majority of the school still stood out in the school's parking lot watching the drama that was unfolding with Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.

"Is there a reason why you all are all here and not in class?" Principal Kwon came out and asked when he noticed the large crowd of students still out in the parking lot and not in class as they should be. Most of the student scattered at seeing the principal but it was Bella Swan that made a move towards the older man to try and get out of being late and in result spending her afternoon in detention or even worse having Charlie being called about this.

"Ms. Swan" Principal Kwon greeted the girl as she made her way with tears still running down her face.

"I'm sorry about this, Edward just broke up with me and, and" Bella said sniffing making it seem as if this was new news to her when in fact she knew this yesterday.

"I don't care Ms. Swan off to class" Principal Kwon would let the population of students slide on this one since it did seem as if Bella Swan and Edward Cullen had caused the drama which made the students late to class. It was then that Bella turned and noticed that Edward was making his way with Harry Griffin to the other boy's first class instead of to where she knew Edward's first class to be, Edward was willing to still be late for the small teenage boy. Bella huffed but figured that there was nothing she could do for the time being; after all she needed to talk to the old lady about the magic she had said was fool proof on getting Edward in her grasp.

"Edward you're going to be late" Harry reminded the forever teen.

"That's fine, I want to make sure that you get to class okay" Edward said knowing his reason was lame at best, but at the moment he didn't care. He was spending time with Harry and that was all that mattered, it was then that he began to think of maybe a possible trip for the family to take to Esme Island along with Harry to show the teen how serious they were about him and his being part of the family even in his human state.

"I'll be fine Edward, just go to class" Harry tried and failed to get the forever teen to go to class, he knew there was nothing that he could do that would make the forever teen change his mind, so instead he arrived with Edward at his side to his first class of the day. And so this was how Harry's morning went with Edward coming to pick him up from class and being taken from that class to another class until lunchtime came and this was where Harry wanted to be as far away as possible. He knew that most if not all of the Forks High School population would be in the cafeteria to see what would happen between Edward and Bella and him, since he seemed to be in this drama for some reason.

"I don't want to go in there" Harry whispered to Edward if there was one thing he hated it was being on display and he knew that Bella would play the broken hearted ex-girlfriend and how he would be the evil that broke the perfect couple up.

"Then we don't go in there" Edward said quite happy with taking Harry to his car and spending time with him there, after all it was raining or more like drizzling which made for sitting outside not an option.

"Where are we going to go?"

"To my car" Edward answered before finally cracking and taking Harry's hand and walking him away from the cafeteria and to the parking lot where his Volvo sat waiting for the pair of them. He was sure that there would be even more drama when he didn't show for lunch but at this point he didn't care, he wanted as much time with Harry as he could get before he went to the La Push Reservation and to the 'wet dogs' that had wormed their way into Harry's heart.

Once in the car, Harry was uncertain on what to say or what to do. He had wanted to be away from the crowd but now he wanted to be in that large room with the teenage population of the small town watching Edward, Bella and the drama that they thought would unfold. He had all of Edward's attention something that he hadn't been used to before but now, now was a whole other ball game. Now the pair of them knew about each other and what they meant to the other and that changed things vastly.

"So what are you doing at the reservation?" Edward asked, he was curious to know what the 'wet dogs' and *his* Harry were up to on the reservation.

"Helping with some repairs on the tribal council building and helping to get some things fixed for them" Harry said, he had already talked to the goblins and they had been more than happy to direct the funds that Dumbledore and the others had been stealing from him into an account that would fund all of the repairs and upgrades needed at the reservation and that was quite a sizable amount of money since Dumbledore had been taking a bit more money than he needed to, to fund the cause of defeat Voldemort, something that Harry wanted no part in so instead the funds would go towards something worthwhile instead of for something he didn't want to be a part of.

"Are you paying for this" Edward asked and it was decidedly the wrong question to ask since Harry threw open the door to the car and stomped his way across the parking lot, mad at himself for believing that Edward would take an interest in something he was interested in, instead he had asked if he was funding the repairs as if the La Push wolves were only using him.

"Harry, Harry…I'm sorry" Edward called out jumping out of the car and following Harry at vampire speed, which helped since Harry hadn't gotten too far before he was able to catch up with the small teen.

"What does it matter if I am paying for the repairs? They are part of my family and family takes care of their own" Harry said stressing the family part of the statement, it was something that Edward and his family was firmly not at the moment.

"I just wondered is all, I didn't mean anything by it" he had in actuality meant something by it but with the way that Harry was acting he knew better than to say or do anything that was perceived as a knock against the La Push wolves.

"Yes you did, so don't even try and lie to me" Harry said now even more pissed, how dare Edward ask him such a question and then lie to his face about not meaning anything by it. It was this reason alone that he hadn't accepted the coven back into his life as family, again.

"Okay, fine I was wondering why and I did mean something by it but don't you see they are using you"

"Like you aren't" Harry shouted back to Edward, this was the reason why he wanted to take his own car to school today, now he was locked into getting a ride home something that he didn't want to do at this point in time.

"You aren't, that isn't true"

"Sure it is….." Harry didn't get to say anything else since Edward started talking over him.

"I'm not using you, I have never used you. So you're my vere coniuge, so what? You were my friend second and family first."

"That's only because you didn't know I was your vere coniuge"

"And yet I still cared about you and it was only when Bella arrived that things changed and I think that was outside of even our control, please believe me" Edward said pulling Harry to him and holding onto him hoping that the small teen would believe him and allow him at least back into showing that his feeling were true and that he spoke the truth and it was in that embrace that Edward telegraphed all of his feelings for Harry and it was then that Harry fully understood what it meant to be a vere coniuge to a vampire. There was almost a meeting of their core beings something that Harry couldn't describe but it was an amazing feeling, something that now that he felt it he never wanted the feeling to end.

"Harry please believe me" Edward whispered into Harry's ear sending shiver down Harry's spine, Edward's voice was husky with want and need. All Harry could do was nod his head; he couldn't seem to find his voice now that he was in Edward's embrace. Soon enough though Edward began to groan, it seemed that Bella was on a hunt for him as she was making her way out of the cafeteria a look on her face that told the vampire she was ready to do battle again.

"She comes" Harry asked knowing the answer already; he knew that the cunt wouldn't give up; it was just a matter of when she would start over again. Edward broke the embrace even though he didn't want to, in no way was embarrassed about his feelings for Harry but he figured that Harry didn't want to draw any more attention than he was probably already getting with arriving with Edward instead of with the rest of his family or Bella as it had been for the last could of weeks before yesterday.

"Hold my hand?" Harry asked he just had a bad feeling about Bella seeing the pair of them together this time around.

"Of course" Edward said before taking Harry's hand in his and then watching as Bella got closer and closer with Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley following behind the girl looking quite worried for some reason. It was by this time that the Cullens and Hales had arrived on the scene and had surrounded the pair when they saw Harry's hand in Edward's. They in no way wanted Bella Swan to try and use Harry relationship with Edward as the reason on why the pair broke up, which she seemed angling for with the rumors that were running through school.

"Edward" Bella called out when she was close enough for the vampire to hear her even though he could hear her just fine when she got out of the cafeteria.

"Isabella" Edward said now not wanting any sort of familiarity between the pair of them; after all it may slow the girl down in her pursuit in whatever it was that she thought she was going to get from him and no doubt his family.

"Bella, silly" she said shaking her head as if she was talking to someone who just wouldn't listen to her.

"I would prefer to call you Isabella now" Edward said his hand firmly in Harry's and making sure that the girl and what seemed most of the cafeteria population stood around and watch the drama unfold yet again not notice the location on his hands; after all his coven members could only cover up so much, and he wasn't sure if Swan would notice the location of Harry's hand or not.

"But, but" this wasn't going as planned, she had figured she would make a public display of kissing Edward and any thoughts that people may have had about them not being together would be put to rest, meaning that Edward would *have* to stay with her. Instead Edward and that waif of a boy hadn't arrived to lunch and she had to go off in search of the pair, which seemed to be in some sort of conversation when she had come out of the building where the cafeteria was located. Now though her plans needed to change and she didn't really know what she could do with Griffin and now the rest of the Cullen/Hale family backing up the pair. There was no way that she could slip the little trinket into Edward's coat pocket without someone noticing, since she was certain that if she could dose Edward again that things would return back to the way that they should be, with her being the queen of Forks High School and most of the girls jealous that they couldn't get the attention of Edward like she had.

"Can we talk, alone?" Bella asked before eyeing Harry and turning her nose up at the boy, she just didn't see what the Cullens and Hales saw in this *boy* that they were willing to give up their relationship with her to be close to him. He was small and almost girl like in his features while his height made him a horrible date for any of the girls at Forks, as they would be too tall for him.

"I don't think that is the best idea right now" Edward said putting the girl off, he knew she was up to something, the looks of worry on Mike's and Jessica's face told him as much, then again so did their thoughts. They had heard her ranting about getting Edward alone and being able to take care of a 'problem' she seemed to be having with him not paying attention to her like he should be.

"Edward come on, please" Bella said batting her eyelashes at Edward as if that would change his mind. Harry's hand in his grounded him and he was soon turning the girl back down on them "talking alone" about anything.

"Fine, be that way" Bella said before huffing and then making her way back to the cafeteria, she would just have to figure out a way to get the trinket to Edward without the boy knowing that he had it, then and only then would she accept the groveling and begging that Edward was bound to do once the trinket was in place with its intended target. Then again she still needed to find the old woman that had sold her the stuff that would bring Edward to her and make sure she could get some more or something or something stronger since Harry Griffin was back in the picture again and that wasn't what she wanted at all. About that time the bell rang signaling the end of lunch and soon the population were busy trying to make their way to their lockers and then to their next class after lunch.

"See you next period" Edward said after he had walked Harry to his first class after lunch which was Harry's most hated subject government and American government at that.

"Okay" Harry said uncertain now that he and Edward were into a much deeper relationship than before. Edward noticed the change in Harry instantly and was instantly looking around for a threat.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just you know Jessica's in this class" Edward nodded his head he could see where Harry's thoughts were going but he could also tell that there was more to it and Harry just wasn't yet ready to say anything about what was really the problem.

"I just don't want to be near her for she is bound to say something about you and Bella and I don't want to hear what she has to say" Harry said, he was worried about certain things that he was bound to be a dunce at when Edward and he deepened their relationship and it was going to be deepened it was just a matter of time. Like how many people had Edward kissed in his long 100 year life, how many men or women had he had sex with? Harry couldn't claim to be the King of Gryffindor; a title given to what Harry thought was the 'man whore' of the house. It was the boy that had slept with the most people in not only their house but also with the other houses.

"We can skip the rest of the classes for the day and go to your house" Edward said eager to be alone with Harry. He had missed the smaller teen, he wasn't sure how he had lived without the teen before he had met him and he realized that he had merely existing and not lived, there was a huge difference and he was finally just now realizing the difference.

"No, no. I'll be okay" Harry said, he needed to get these thoughts out of his head or he would sabotage his own relationship with Edward before it had even begun.

"You sure, I'm sure I can teach you more than Mr. Hopkins can" Edward said liking the idea of him and Harry close together on a couch, he would even say cuddled as he explained something in American government to a clueless Harry.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just don't hope we do the game of Risk"

"Oh no, is it that time?" Edward said quickly realizing what Harry was talking about; Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper had told him and Alice about the "Risk" game that the man played with the class. Each week a small group the class would essentially be tested on knowing not only the American Government system but also other world governments. You were ranked based on how much of the world you took over by how many correct answers you gave during the course of the game. Harry had been lucky in that he hadn't been picked but he knew it would be a matter of time before he was asked and it would be then that most of the class would laugh at him for not knowing any or barely any of the answers about government as a whole. He knew British government along with a bit about British Wizarding World government but much beyond that if it wasn't explained by either Jasper or Edward he had no clue and the game of "Risk" accounted for a good portion of your grade and he didn't think that any of the teachers here wanted to hear about British Wizarding World government, after all he had been dragged into it when he had entered the Wizarding World, hell half of them if not all of them would think he was nuts talking about such a thing.

"You'll be fine" Edward said hoping that his words weren't a lie, for he knew that he and Jasper needed to spend one weekend with Harry and teach him all that he could before he was picked on. Harry nodded his head and then gave Edward's hand one last squeeze before making his way into the room and to his doom, or at least what he thought was his doom. Instead it seemed that it would be Jessica's day along with three others that would be trying to take over the world. It was at the end of class when the desk had been arranged back to normal that Jessica decided to put her claws into Harry. She hadn't been happy when Bella had stormed off making her and Mike look like fools since they had followed her outside to where Edward and Harry stood out in the rain talking about something it seemed.


	17. Chapter 17

"So what's up with you and Edward being friends again?" Jessica said as they sat waiting for the bell to ring. Mr. Hopkins had given them the rest of the period as a free period so many of the students were gossiping about the drama that seemed to be happening between Bella and Edward and now Harry, as it seemed he was a part of this now as well. Some were even speculating that he *was* the cause for the break up, which had a good majority of the people wondering if Edward was bi or if they even had a chance with the now available teen. When Harry didn't answer Jessica asked again as if he hadn't heard her the first time.

"Well what do you have to say?" Once it was obvious that Harry wasn't going to answer her, her nasty side started to come out.

"Hey freak" Jessica said now fed up with Harry not answering her.

"Ms. Stanley" the teacher said she had started to draw a crowd when her voice had gotten higher in pitch and loudness.

"Sorry" Jessica said not at all sorry for getting some attention from the teacher and class that meant that Harry was bound to answer her or least she thought so.

"So?" Whispered Jessica but she knew she had the attention of most of the class now that she had started talking to Harry again. She along with everyone else in school wanted to know about the relationship the pair had since, their friendship had decidedly ended when Bella Swan had arrive to town and shook up the population of Forks as a whole.

"Aren't you going to answer me? It's the least you could do" Jessica said trying to make it seem like Harry should be answering her questions even though it was none of her's or anyone else's business on what his relationship with Edward and the Cullens and Hales were. Harry was saved by the bell ringing so Jessica huffed out of the classroom not at all happy with not being able to gain any sort of information that she may have gotten for Bella and maybe a bit for herself, after all she had dibs on Edward first but since Bella had managed to get the teen's attention she had been taking notes as to how to get noticed by the teen age male population of Forks. It seemed the plain Jane idea worked the best as Bella wasn't too pretty or special or wore nice clothes, just plain old clothes and drove a beat up old truck that her Dad had gotten for her when she had arrived to town. She hadn't used it much since Edward had been taking her around town since they had begun their relationship but she highly doubted that would continue if Harry was back in the picture.

"Harry" Jessica heard as she walked down the hallway to her next class which she shared with Bella, she knew the girl would grill her on if she had gotten any sort of information from the small teen boy, but she sadly couldn't say that she hadn't.

"Jessica about time" Bella huffed outside the door to the classroom, she had been waiting for the other girl to show for quite a while and now here she came walking down the hall in her knockoff designer shoes and looking like a fool since it was one of the days that it had been drizzling all day.

"Sorry" Jessica said not at all sorry about Bella having to wait for her to show, after all it wasn't her that was making a fool of herself over the breakup with Edward.

"So, did you get him to talk?" Bella asked, there just *had* to be a reason on why Edward broke up with her and was now talking to Harry yet again.

"No, he didn't say one word to me" Jessica said, there was no point in beating around the bush on this one as Bella would worry her to death about every little thing Harry said or did, if she didn't know that Bella was firmly 'in love' with Edward she would think that the girl was in serious like or lust for the small teen boy.

"Well that's just plain rude" Bella said acting as if she was someone who could comment on what was appropriate or not when speaking to people. Jessica nodded her head, she of course thought it was rude but she could also knew better than to even try and voice her words. Bella tended to do that, most thought her the quiet new girl that knew nothing about small town life, when in fact it was exactly the opposite. For the next period Jessica and Bella ragged on Harry and the things that he was lacking and why Edward would even want someone like *that* as his friend. The final class of the day housed both Edward, Harry and most unfortunately Bella and a smug looking Bella was what greeted the pair of boys as they made their way into the classroom. She had gotten a call from Jacob to let her know that her truck was ready and that he would drop it off to her after school, which meant that Edward was bound to be jealous of the relationship that she had with Jacob, once he saw how good of friends they were. There had to be at least a little of whatever the woman had done left to make Edward jealous, there just had to be. Throughout the whole period everyone could practically feel the smugness that was coming from Bella and most wanted to know what it was that had the girl in just that mood. At the end of class everyone made a bee line to the parking lot where Jacob and Bella's old beat-up truck were waiting on the girl. Most watched as Bella tried and successfully pulled Jacob into the land of Bella, it was only when Jacob saw Harry with Edward that he seemed to snap out of the haze the girl had put him in.

"Hey Harry" Jacob said tensely, he still didn't like the idea of Harry knowing their secret while being friends with the leeches, then again almost the same thing could have been said about Bella since she had actually been dating one instead of being just a friend to the coven.

"Hello Jacob" Harry answered back, his hand firmly in Edward's as he spoke to the shape-shifting werewolf.

"You know *him*?" Bella asked her tone telling everyone just how happy she was to be hearing that news.

"Yeah, he's been helping out at the rez" Jacob said eyeing the girl and wondering where she was going with this.

"Like manual labor and stuff?" Bella asked surprised that Harry was helping out on the reservation, she couldn't imagine helping out *there* it was dirty and most of the people looked poor, something she so did not do.

"Yeah, he's helping with the tribal council hall and getting it fixed up" Jacob explained watching Bella face as she wrinkled her nose at the idea of what Harry was helping out with.

"Oh that's nice" Bella said her tone telling all how enthused she was about the information that Jacob had just given her and it was then that Jacob saw Bella for what she was, a gold digger and there was no way around it. Her tone and the way she was acting told him the whole story, Paul and Sam and the rest of the pack had been right. She wasn't what she sold herself to be; instead she was the exact opposite. She was looking for a way out of small town life and she saw the ticket of getting out with Edward but it seemed that Harry had replaced her as the core of Edward's being and to her that was unacceptable. She thought it should be her that Edward focused on not Harry.

"You still coming over?" Jacob asked totally disregarding Bella, instead talking to Harry.

"Yeah, I was going to go home and change before heading over"

"Alright, sweet" Jacob said before looking around the parking lot and not seeing what he had hoped to see.

"You need a ride?" Harry asked, vampires may not like werewolves but he would be damned to leave Jacob to find a way home since it looked as if Bella wouldn't be offering, after all she had huffed over to her truck and was now looking in the rearview mirror making sure that she looked okay, something that was so not Bella or the Bella that she painted herself to be. This was not the way things were supposed to go, she would find that old crone if it was the only thing she did for the rest of the day or week for that matter.

"I thought….." Here Edward said nothing further, he had been hoping that Harry would blow off the werewolves instead spending time with him, something that he desperately needed and wanted.

"When I get back home" Harry said before giving Edward's hand a squeeze to let him know that he hadn't been forgotten since there was something that Harry felt was just as important as spending time with him and the rest of the coven.

"All night?" Edward asked he knew he was probably pushing things but he couldn't come to care if it meant that he got to spend time with Harry and alone at that.

"Possibly" Harry said, they may be making some headway with their relationship but he wasn't going to forgive Edward and the rest of the coven as easily as he had Esme, and even then now thinking about it he was going to have reject his acceptance of Esme back into his life. Edward sort of deflated at the answer, he had been hoping that Harry would allow this one concession but it seemed that he really was going to have to prove to the younger man that he could be trusted, something that was obviously not the case now even with the little amount of affection the small teen had been giving to him.

"Right" Edward said not really sure at what else to say, it was then that Bella decided that this was a perfect opportunity for her to stick her nose where it didn't belong.

"I'll give you a ride Jacob"

"No it's alright, I'll catch a ride with Harry and Edward and then ride with Harry to the rez, no point in having you waste gas when you don't have to." Jacob said, he really didn't want to deal with the girl now that he knew the truth about her.

"It's really no big deal" Bella said trying to sound as if she wasn't livid with the way things were going. She was glad for one thing though and that she now had a truck back which meant that she would be able to go off in search of the old lady and see what she could do for her. She had money, after all she never had to pay for the truck to get fixed so any money that Charlie gave her was just pocket money to buy whatever she wanted and that hadn't been an issue much lately since Edward had been at her beck-and-call.

"No, it's okay" Jacob said before giving Edward a look that told him to unlock the car so that he could get in the backseat and as soon as possible. Edward unlocked the car and Jacob practically threw the door open to the backseat and found him a spot behind Harry's seat, and then gave Edward a look that told the vampire to just go with it. Bella stood there dumbfounded, she had thought that with the arrival of Jacob that Edward would rage in jealousy before realizing the error that he had made in breaking up with her and then begin begging for forgiveness with expensive gifts and his sincere/drugged devotion.

"Edward" Harry said now taking a seat in the front seat and watched Edward to see if he would enter the car. He had been told by both parties that the other smelled, "reeked" to the other and Harry wasn't sure if Edward would be able to stand the smell of Jacob as they rode to his house. Edward slowly entered the car and immediately rolled down his window, it may be raining but he would be damned to be stuck in a car with a werewolf that smelled like 'wet dog'. Bella huffed before jumping into the truck and speeding out of the parking lot. The Forks Rumor Mill was in full effect by the time that Edward had pulled out of the parking lot and to the road that would take him to Harry's house.

"I'm sorry" Jacob said from the back as they rode in silence, not a single one of them knowing what was considered a safe topic or not.

"About?" Harry asked confused, hey if he had to take Jake on back to the reservation it was no big deal, he was headed that way anyway.

"For not believing you about Bella, I thought, well I thought that she was different" Jacob said his tone telling both Edward and Harry how hurt he was by the girl's actions.

"It's okay, it's not like she doesn't do a good job of hiding how shallow she really is" Harry said, he had right off the bat not liked the girl but most had said it was because Edward had taken an interest in her instead of focusing on him. He had in no way been jealous of the girl, instead he saw her for what she really was and was worried that Edward and in the process the Cullen coven would be discovered and Edward would be stuck with the girl until she was either turned or silenced in some way.

"But still, I said some not so nice things to you about her and well…" Jacob shrugged his shoulders, he had been wrong and he wanted to kick himself for being so mean to Harry when he tried to tell him that Bella was bad news. Instead he had come to her defense only to find out that she really was what Harry had said her to be, shallow and looking for a way of life that she felt she was made for which included expensive gifts and living like she was the queen of the world. Edward tensed at the words, this *dog* dare say something mean to *his* mate? This most certainly wouldn't do.

"What do you mean?" Edward cut in, Harry rolled his eyes. Edward had better get his act together or he would be on the receiving end of a nasty hex if he kept trying to play the "Alpha Vampire" roll he thought he deserved since he found out that Harry was his vere coniuge.

"Calm it down" Harry said his tone telling Edward and Jacob both how unhappy he was with the way that Edward was acting. Edward said nothing; instead he stewed in the driver's seat and planned what he would say to Jacob once Harry was out of ear shot.

"And don't even think about going and doing the "if you hurt one hair on his head routine" you're on probation along with the rest of your family" Harry reminded Edward, to which he got a stiff nod of the head. He was unable to say anything to Jacob for now but he would be talking to the dog and telling him that if he in any way hurt *his* mate he would wish that he hadn't. The rest of the ride was made in silence, Jacob didn't know what to say in the presence of the vampire and Edward was still stewing over the fact that Harry had read him as well as he had. Edward pulled into the driveway of Harry's house and immediately got out of the car and made his way to the passenger's car door.

"Does he do that sort of thing all the time?" Jacob asked quickly, wanting to know if this was a new development or if this had happened plenty of times before Harry had met Paul and the rest of the pack.

"Edward is the consummate gentleman" Harry answered Jacob's question with; this of course confused the teen, what the hell did that mean? "Consummate gentleman"?

"What the hell does that mean?" Jacob voiced before the door was opened and Edward offered a hand to Harry so that he could assist the smaller boy out of the car. Jacob watched this in wonderment maybe that is the way he should be with his dates. It was bound to get him a hell of a lot further than what he was currently getting. Then again spending the whole date talking about another girl was bound to put a damper on things as well.

"What does what mean?" Edward asked, he had been so busy stewing that he hadn't noticed that Jacob had started talking as soon as he closed his door.

"Nothing" Harry said a smile on his face that made Edward forget all about what he had been asking about, that smile made him forget anything and everything around him except for Harry. Edward nodded his head in agreement and then helped Harry get out of the car, while Jacob opened the back door and got out. This was like a total transformation of the cocky, swagger ridden vampire, to this love sick puddle of goo at Harry's feet.

"Man" Jacob said before laughing, oh the boys would love this if they even believed him in the first place.

"You will not tease Edward about his gentleman etiquette, you could use some of this yourself" Harry said, he had seen how rude Jacob could be around people that he didn't like and if a girl had a girlfriend that heaven forbid he not like he could see things not going anywhere and fast. Jacob's mouth gaped open, amazed that Harry had enough nerve to call him on his behavior. His father and Sam were always at him about it but now seeing what a suave and dare he say it but likable vampire Edward could become he was beginning to rethink his whole approach to girls and people in general. He knew he could be rude but in most cases he thought that the person or persons deserved what he gave them, now though he was figuring out that his way of thinking was a bit flawed. Jacob now knew that he had been wrong in his treatment of many members of the reservation, him thinking that he was better than them since he had become friends with Bella. There was just something off about the girl now that he thought about it; maybe he would bring that up with the elders once the pair of them arrived back to the reservation.

"Thank you for the ride home" Harry supplied for the both himself and Jacob, it looked as if the other boy was deep in thought and didn't look like he would be speaking again until the pair of them were either alone or back in La Push territory. Edward nodded his head while holding onto Harry's hand for as long as he could.

"Just leave the box on the porch if there aren't any lights on" Harry said, he wasn't sure when he would be getting home but he knew for certain that he needed to check out the items that Swan had given to Edward probably with a lie about why she was handing them over in the first place.

"Right" Edward said in agreement, he was still clearly not happy with the situation but there was no point in fighting with Harry about it since he and his family were on probation as Harry had said, he was beginning to think that even Esme wasn't exempt to that fact.

"Edward, I have to go now" Harry said when Edward wouldn't let go of his hand instead the vampire had his hand in a vice like grip.

"Oh right" Edward said a bit embarrassed for once being glad that he couldn't blush, for he would have been blushing at the scene that he must be showing to Jacob Black.

"I'll be home in a few hours" Harry said before giving Edward's hand a little squeeze and then letting go. It was then that Edward finally let go, he would head home but he planned to return to the house and wait for Harry to return, the items in the lead lined box that he had placed them into once they had decided what to do with them. Edward soon got back into his car and made his way back to the Cullen family house so that he could collect the items and then give Harry and Jacob enough time to get back. He would have ran back to Harry's house but he worried about the effects that the trinkets may have on him, even through the lead lined box. Harry and Jacob watched as the car got smaller and smaller signaling the departure of Edward.

"You know he's going to be here when you get back right?" Jacob asked, he knew he would that was for sure.

"Yeah, I've come to expect that sort of thing from him" Harry said already knowing that Edward would be on his doorstep the minute he got home.

"Well let's get to the reservation, I would hate to have Paul bring up the fact that I disappeared before work even began on the tribal council hall."

"I think he would do that regardless" Harry said knowing the older man better than most.

"True" Jacob agreed before making his way into Harry's house as the other teen had unlocked the door to the house as they talked.

"Let's go" Harry said after dropping his bag and then making his way back out to where his car sat waiting for the pair of them. Once the pair had gotten into the car little was said between the pair neither really knowing what to talk to the other about. Jacob felt like a complete and total ass for the way that he had treated Harry, while the small teen really had nothing to say to other even though he had fessed up and even apologized for his behavior before.


	18. Chapter 18

~~~~~~~~~~~Reservation~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mini cooper drove down the horrible roads almost hitting each and every pot hole in the road.

"Are you sure you have a valid driver's license?" Jacob asked Harry as the other teen boy hit yet another pot hole. The pair had ridden in silence for most of the ride but having arrived to the reservation Harry seemed to have a knack for hitting the pot holes that littered the road.

"Well if the roads weren't so bad" Harry threw back putting roads as the next major project. It was a wonder that people got in and out of the place in one piece that was for sure.

"I don't have any issues"

"That's because you live here and know where all of the holes are to avoid them" Harry snarked back just as they pulled up to the tribal council hall and seeing Paul's motorcycle along with a couple of other cars that he didn't recognize but figured that they were tribal council member's cars.

"Harry" Paul greeted the pair, he had been waiting for his best friend to arrive as Paul and Embry were beginning to wear on nerves he didn't think he had. They asked him question after question about his time with Harry and what it was like to live with the other man, if he didn't know any better he would think that the pair of them had a crush on Harry. The pack including Harry knew of Seth Clearwater's crush but these two he had thought as Harry would say "liked birds", instead they seemed to be exhibiting major crush attributes.

"Paul" Harry said laughing as he was pulled into a huge hug by the bigger man; then again it didn't take much to be bigger than Harry. It was something that pissed Harry off but he knew better than to try any sort of potions or spells to fix the effects of his life with his Aunt and Uncle.

"Where'd you get off to" Paul asked Jacob once he saw who was with Harry.

"He dropped off Swan's truck to her" Harry supplied before making his way into the hall and not noticing that the pair seemed to wait until he was out of hearing distance to begin talking to each other.

"You gave that cunt her truck back?" Paul asked very unhappy with what Jacob had done, then again Sam would be livid once he heard the news as well.

"Yes" Jacob answered back which surprised Paul, he had figured he would get a fight from Jacob over calling Swan a cunt and not by her name, he had done it so many times before that he figured nothing had changed but it seemed he was wrong.

"You should charge her you know?"

"I think I might next time" Jacob said, he had been fixing Bella's truck every time she broke it which gave her a reason to get a ride with Edward to school instead of driving herself. This shocked Paul even more, what had happened to the Jacob that fought for Bella's acceptance into the pack and on the reservation. Very few, dare he say it but no one like the girl when she had been on the reservation and shown her distaste for the place, it had been then that Jacob would make his way over to chief Swan's house to hang out with the girl.

"What changed" Paul finally asked truly confused on what was going on.

"I think, no I know that Bella is just a gold digging cunt" Jacob answered with it was then that Harry came back out and gave a shout to the pair of them.

"You plan on coming in or are you going to let the wizard do all the work?"

"We'll be right there lover" Paul called out before watching Harry watch the pair of them before going back in and continue the work that he had been doing before noticing that Paul and Jacob had yet to arrive inside the building.

"I think Bella cast some sort of spell or something on the leech"

"You think" Paul asked not concerned that there was something bigger at play. He had heard as much from Harry yesterday night but now hearing it again had him thinking over what the cunt of a girl was doing to get all of the attention that she was getting.

"I was going to talk to the elders about it. I think she might have been dosing me" Jacob said owning up to the fact that his feeling were not his own or that he thought were not his own. Granted when Bella had come to visit when they were younger he had, had a small crush on her but when the girl up and stopped coming his feelings had fell away and life on the reservation had resumed. It also didn't help her that she never returned any of the letters or phone calls that he had made to the girl. He had been angry when he saw her again for the first time but that had fell away as fast as it had come and now that he was out of the effects he was beginning to think that things weren't right.

"Well let's get in there before Harry comes back out" Paul said pushing Jacob towards the front doors of the hall and then the pair made to where the tribal council stood watching as Harry weaved his own brand of magic on the place. Fixing and expanding the hall so that it sound now house the larger council meetings now that some of the people that had left the reservation were coming back, trying to reconnect with their roots once again.

"He's amazing" Jacob said in awe of watching Harry work, he had known the small teen was a wizard but watching him work was something else entirely. Harry worked entirely without the help of a wand which was a very good thing since Dumbledore had sold the Ministry on the fact that Harry needed to be tracked at all times and the best way to do so was to track his wand which was buried in the back yard of number 4, Privet Drive. It had of course been retrieved when Dumbledore had been denied his monthly withdrawal from Harry's main vault account. He had figured he would get Harry to approve the funds transfer and everything would be back to normal. Instead they had arrived to the house to find Petunia Dursley tending to her roses while the plants died because of her 'black thumb' she had with plants. When asked about the where a bouts of her nephew she had stated that she hadn't seen him since they had dropped him off for his final year of school, that meant that Harry had been gone all summer and they hadn't even known it. They had figured that the weekly letters that stopped were due to Harry being angry over the fact that he had been stuck back at his relative's house, not because the teen had disappeared. Sirius had told them that everything was fine; obviously the man was having too much fun on his holiday and had since been called back, something that angered the man up until he found out the reason why he was being called back from his holiday early. He along with the rest of the Order had been looking for Harry non-stop with little information to go on since it seemed the boy had been feeding every person a different story which made it harder to track his where a bouts.

"He is" Paul agreed before smiling a smile that showed just how much he cared for Harry.

"You love him" Jacob said clearly surprised by his words, for some reason the thought that Paul liked a male wasn't at all as negative as he thought he would feel about the whole situation.

"I do" Paul answered easily before leaning on the door frame of the main hall watching Harry and talking to Jacob.

"But he isn't your imprint"

"No and neither is the cunt yours"

"True"

"Does he know?"

"Yes"

"And yet he chooses to be with the leech" it was a statement more than a question.

"He does, I'm meant to be there for him his family"

"We all are I think" Jacob answered, the more he talked it through the more he could see that the gods were helping the small teen achieve something that he hadn't ever had in his life before and that was a group of people that truly cared for him, Harry not 'the Boy-Who-Lived' or a Gringotts account that paid for a family and war alike.

"Too true"

"Paul get your skinny arse over here and help me!" Harry yelled out knowing that Paul was somewhere in the building or at least hoping he was.

"My lover calls" Paul said easily before a grin lit up his face and he made his way over to where Harry stood sweating from all the magic he was doing to repair the building that hadn't been repaired in years and years. Paul wrapped his arms around Harry and nipped the side of his neck once in his embrace.

"Paul Lahote where have you been?" Harry asked knowing full well where the older man had been.

"Talking to Jacob" Paul answered back before breaking the embrace and then getting a bottled water for Harry the younger man was sweating like crazy and he noticed not a one of the people watching him seemed ready to help him and get him something to drink.

"People wake up" Paul said before he noticed a bunch of people jump as his loud words, were they that entranced at watching Harry work?

"Here you go lover" Paul said handing over the water and watching as Harry pulled most of the water from the bottle in one go.

"Did you not offer him something to drink? Where are your manners?" Paul asked joking around with the group, while also a bit irritated at the group that had convened to watch Harry work.

"Mr. Lahote is right, why have you not helped out a member of our family?" The medicine man asked looking at the group of younger members and wondering why they hadn't even offered to help in some sort of way, whether it is getting Harry something to drink or holding something should he need it. Most of the group looked at the ground embarrassed to have the medicine man tell them off for the medicine man never had to yell to get his point across. By then most had scrambled to do something and by then it was too late since Paul had already taken care of Harry.

"Lover do you need to take a break?" Paul asked or more like told Harry, he had been going at it since he walked into the hall and his conversation with Jacob had gone on much longer than he had thought it had.

"I'm fine"

"No, take a rest I think too much magic could be a bad thing" Harry saw Paul's point in that being able to trace a large amount of magic could happen should the old man be looking for a power influx, after all Harry may have graduated from Hogwarts but he wasn't smart enough to actually hide from them for long. Harry just wasn't that smart or so they thought, sadly though they would realize their mistake when it was much too late, that and a surprise ally on Harry's side that no one on Dumbledore's side thought of.

"A rest then, I need to talk to the elders anyway" Harry said he wanted to bring up the fact that Bella was doing something to Edward via trinkets and that they should be leery of anything that the girl had given to anyone on the reservation, as if that had happened. She had only given something to Jacob and he had since lost the object for it to be of any effect on him any longer.

"Seems that Jacob beat you to it" Paul said pulling Harry close to him and showing him Jacob talking to the elders about something that looked extremely important.

"Harry" one of the elders called over, they would check with Harry and see if he thought that what Jacob was telling was feasible or not.

"Sir" Harry answered once he was close enough to answer.

"Sitting Bull is just fine" the man said before he began to explain what it was that Jacob had been talking about.

"Mr. Black was telling us about how he thinks that Ms. Swan is using some sort of magic"

"She is" Harry said cutting the older man off, it seemed that Jacob had gotten wind of the problem before he had figured it all out.

"She is using trinkets to hold power over someone, I don't know who or where she got these items from or what she is using but Edward has collected the items she has given to her and I said I would take a look at them once I finished here"

"Is this true" the medicine man asked, he had heard of an old crone that would sell just about anything to anyone for the right price. Now if only he could get a hold of the old woman that would be even better.

"Yeah, Edward is going to give me what Swan gave him" Harry answered back. He hadn't wanted to believe that Swan had managed to get tangled up in magix as that could lead to deadly consequences for both the user and the person it was being used on.

"Do you have the items with you?"

"No, Edward is going to leave them on my front porch"

"Then you must retrieve them, I must see these items" the medicine man said, he figured that he would be able to tell if it was another of the old crone's pieces of work. She had been using the children of Forks as her stomping ground since most on the reservation knew of her and the decidedly dark magix that she used. All of the reservation citizens knew better than to go to the woman for they knew that they would have to pay with something that wasn't worth giving up some of course had learned the hard way but most knew better but the people of Forks didn't. Which was why they were easier to bait then the people of the reservation.

"Sure, no problem" Harry said thinking that Edward would just leave the box on the porch and return home once he had done so.

"I have a feeling that he will be waiting for you" Paul pointed out to Harry, he knew better than to think that Edward would just drop off and then leave.

"Oh, Oh!" Harry realized that yes it was probably true that Edward would be waiting for him when he arrived home. What was more of question in his mind was would Edward be there in his Volvo or not.

"Yeah, so he might not be returning, but I'll bring them back" Paul supplied, he figured he could crash as Sam's or his house for the night, then again maybe he should return back to Harry's house to make sure that the vampire didn't take advantage of Harry and his kindness even if the vampire was on probation as Harry said they were.

"Harry" the medicine man said looking at the small teen and seeing him blushing. Yeah so he was sort of excited to see Edward again but that in no way meant that he was going to drop what he was doing just to spend time with the forever teen.

"I'll be back, I told him to leave them on the porch and if he doesn't leave that's not my problem" Harry said hoping that Edward wouldn't be there so that he could come right back so that he could work with the medicine man to see if they could figure out who had sold whatever it was to Swan and what it was.

"I'll take you back" Paul said before handing over his helmet to Harry to make sure that the smaller man didn't get hurt on his way to and from his house. Riding with Paul would slow Edward down in trying to spend time with Harry since he would have to go back to the reservation to get his car and Edward wasn't allowed on La Push wolves' territory.

"I can drive myself"

"Yes you can lover, but if I take you, you have to come back for your car" Paul explained his reasoning which had most of the people in the room amazed that he had thought of such a thing and so quickly. Most thought Paul as all brawn and no brain which wasn't true, the books that littered Paul's house spoke to that; but most people didn't make it past his motorcycle before deciding that Paul was all about power which meant no brain.

"Oh yeah, yeah that would work" Harry said secretly glad that Paul was still willing to take care of him even though the pair of them weren't meant to be together.

"Let's go" Paul said pulling Harry out of the hall and onto the back of the motorcycle that was sitting next to Harry's mini-cooper.


	19. Chapter 19

The ride for Harry was one that he had instantly fallen in love with the first time he had been on the back of Paul's bike. So far the thrill hadn't worn off and he didn't think it ever would. He knew that Edward would do all in his power to make sure that he didn't ride a bike since he was after all merely a human, a wizard but a human none-the-less. Paul sadly was unable to communicate to Harry that Edward was in fact somewhere close due to the smell of leech in the air. It was as Paul slowed down the bike that Edward jumped from one of the trees surrounding Harry's house, an odd look on his face.

"Uh, hi" Edward said surprised that Harry was returning back to his home on the back on Paul's motorcycle. Paul helped Harry off the bike and it was then that Harry took off the helmet and looked at Edward. The forever teen didn't look to have any box on his person so he took a look at his porch and saw that there was a small box looking item sitting on his porch.

"Yeah, I thought maybe we could talk" Edward said looking at Paul and Harry and wondering if Emmett's words were true. What if Harry found that pack life was better than being with him, what would be do?

"Oh, well Paul and I were going to pick up the box and take it back to the reservation. I want the medicine man to take a look at them with me." Harry just knew that should Edward be anywhere near the items that he was bound to be effected by them something that he didn't want to happen.

"Were you planning to come back?" Edward asked, he hoped that Harry would return but he also knew that Harry was welcome at the reservation so he could stay there should he become too tired to drive home.

"Yeah, well I think so" Harry said uncertain on what sort of results both he and the medicine man would come up with on the items that lay in the lead box sitting on his porch.

"I was….uh well" Edward was uncertain on what to say. He had planned on Harry being alone and not returning back to the reservation for the night. This changed his plans completely.

"I'll be back Edward" Harry said with a smile on his, he found it cute even though irritating that Edward wanted to be there with him.

"Right" Edward said now shifting foot-to-foot something that vampires just didn't do.

"Here we are" Paul said breaking up the odd meeting with the lead lined box in his hands.

"Great, I'll be back" Harry promised before jumping back on the bike and then holding onto the box while Paul started the bike back up and flew out of Harry's driveway leaving Edward standing there sort of at a loss at what had just happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Reservation~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well that was rude" Harry said after he and Paul had returned back to the reservation and to the medicine man's house with the items that Swan had given to Edward. Harry oddly hoped that the items affected more than just Edward but he had a feeling that Esme's actions along with the rest of the coven were something they did freely, which made it even worse. Harry was seriously reconsidering the forgiving Esme now that he had more facts. The woman may ignite something in him but he needed to remember that she had been the one to deal the blow of him having to move out of the house.

"He was going to keep you there otherwise, you know that" Paul said as he knocked on the door to the medicine man's house.

"Harry, Paul Lahoute" the medicine man answered the door with. The man was still weary of Paul as most everyone on the reservation were, but he like the rest of the reservation had also seen the turn around that Paul had made since meeting Harry. Something that the whole reservation thought was a good thing.

"I have some items I was hoping you could help me with" Harry said showing the box to the medicine man as he stood in the doorway to the small house that he lived in.

"What are they?" The medicine man asked as he allowed Harry and Paul into the house, an old woman sitting on a couch peering at them and then smiling.

"Hello Harry"

"Hello" Harry said not knowing who he was talking to and what their name was.

"My wife Lenora"

"Hello Harry, I have heard much about you" the old woman said sitting on the couch an easy smile on her face at seeing Harry and an over protective Paul. Harry blushed at the words, it seemed that the whole reservation knew about him but he knew little to nothing about the reservation and the population that lived there.

"Enough of that, what is it that you have brought to me this night?" The medicine man asked looking at the box and guessing what was in the box.

"Trinkets that Isabella Swan gave to Edward Cullen" Harry said wondering if the medicine man wouldn't help him now that he knew who the trinkets came from.

"I see" the medicine man said before taking the box and walking further into the small yet cozy home.

"Have a seat" the medicine man offered to Harry, Paul on the other hand stood guarding Harry as if the trinkets themselves would be of danger to the small teen.

"Let's see what we have here" the medicine man said before opening up the box that had been sealed it was then that a very noticeable smell came out of the box.

"Mora, what have you done now?" the medicine man said to which had both Harry and Paul looking confused.

"There is a woman, some call her an enchantress but at best she's a potion maker with daughters that help their mother ensnare men to women they don't want." the medicine man explained. Mora Aplyse was first and foremost what most Wizarding people would call a squib, only having enough power to make simple yet dangerous love potions to which she sold to whoever was willing to shell out the money for them. There was also one thing that let you know when Mora Aplyse was at play and it was the lingering smell that came from her potions. It was a cloying smell almost like over ripened fruit, an overly sweet scent something that could be mistaken for a perfume not the scent of a potion that ensnared the man that it was intended for. The Aplyse women come from a long line of witches, but it had been with Mora's grandmother Audelia that was the first squib of the family which was followed by Mora's mother, Lilith. They had been taught the ways of their ancestors but had only been good at potions, the one branch of magic that required little to no magic just the right ingredients and tools. A spell always made the potion more potent but that usually required a witch or wizard to cast them something that Mora hadn't had before the birth of one of her two daughters.

"Her name is Mora Aplyse, she travels with her two daughters selling potions and sometimes even spells to people who are willing to sell a bit of themselves for something that they desire" at the medicine man's word Harry began to shutter at what the man wasn't saying and that was that these people were giving a bit of themselves, a bit of their souls to the women as payment to get something that they wanted. It made Harry wonder if Voldemort had done something similar to gain the immortality that he had before he attacked his parents and him as a baby. It would explain a lot actually, Harry figured that with Tom Riddle going to Hogwarts that he no doubt had been to the Hogwarts library and the stacks upon stacks of books that lived there. He was certain that there must be a book detailing such things, but Harry was certain of one thing he didn't ever plan to go back.

"Do you know where she lives?" Harry asked he wanted no, needed to talk to the woman.

"She travels and is never in the same spot for too long" the medicine man said, trying to remember if he had heard that she was back in town selling her potions and spells to those willing enough to waste their money on the things she was selling.

"I haven't heard that she has been in town recently, at least not that I have heard"

"How do we find her? We need to know how to be able to get rid of these things safely"

"Find her? No she mostly she shows up when people have need of her"

"But how can she do that" Paul had heard about the infamous Mora Aplyse and the potions and spells that she sold. He had always thought that it was a load of bull that the woman could make something that would make you fall in love or lust with someone but now that he was a wolf and found out that there were witches, wizards and vampires he now firmly believed that the woman could do all that people said she could.

"She has her ways" the medicine man said before looking to his wife to see if she knew anything more about the woman and her arrival to the reservation or to the town of Forks.

"Well I had heard" the medicine man's wife said. She had been in Forks and had heard a few women gossiping over coffee about the arrival of the Aplyse women, she hadn't given the words much thought but it seemed that trouble was already brewing and the Aplyse women were as always at the center of it.

"Hmm" the medicine man said after his wife told the three of them about the words she had heard from the town of Forks.

"Should I worry" Harry asked the medicine man, the man knew that Harry was more than what he was even telling the shape-shifting wolves but he knew that someone like Seth would say his full name and since they were magical that would no doubt set off any charms that the headmaster or the Ministry had placed on his name.

"I don't know" Paul saw the look that the medicine man and Harry shared and decided to ask the pair was what doing on.

"What aren't you telling me?" Harry was uncertain on how much he could tell Paul but he knew that Paul along with the pack deserved to know the truth. The hard part would be telling the pack about how he was someone that was wanted by the magical community back in the UK.

"My last name isn't Griffin, but I can't you or anyone else for that matter say my name without the Wizarding world coming to find me."

"What do you mean?"

"Back in the UK Wizarding community I'm famous. I supposedly defeated the most evil wizard there was when I was just 18 months old"

"But" Paul was surprised by the words, he had known that Harry had been hiding something from him and the rest of the pack but he didn't want to press Harry for information that he would no doubt tell him and the rest of the pack about once he comfortable and felt safe enough to tell the groups.

"Just know that should anyone even myself say my true name the wizards of the US and the UK would be able to locate me and that is the last thing I want to happen right now. I know that Seth means well in most cases but I also know he doesn't think before he speaks and he would accidently say my name or even think it and that is the last thing I want happening"

"Sam would…."

"Be able to do nothing. Seth would think my true last name and I have a feeling that even that is questionable"

"But he knows" Paul pointed out, he figured that if the medicine man knew that it was at least safe to think Harry's last name, just not saying it.

"There has to be more than just one of you out there with that last name"

"True but in a wizarding setting I have a feeling they would send people out just to make sure and I can't afford for that to happen. I won't go back, I can't go back" Harry said worried now that Paul would push this to the point to where the wizards and witches would arrive and there would be nothing he could about it. He would be shipped back to England and Hogwarts and his life would resume as it had been before he had left something that he didn't want to happen. He may be mad at the Cullens but he knew that going back would only result in him being sent off to marry Ginny Weasley only after defeating Voldemort. He wasn't his father but it seemed no one in the Wizarding World thought like he did; even his godfather called him James Jr. on occasion, something that bothered him even now.

"Can you write it down?"

"I don't know, maybe if it isn't together as a normal name would be" Harry said thinking about if he was okay to write out his name, after all there had to be more than one Harry Potter in the world. Wasn't there? He thought his name often enough to say that he was pretty certain that he would be okay with writing it down but he couldn't be sure of that. He couldn't be certain about anything that the headmaster and the Minister of Magic may have done after he left.

"Well?" Paul asked, he wanted to be the first person that knew that knew Harry's true last name. It gave him a thrill to know that he was probably the first person to know of the lie that Harry had been feeding to everyone.

"Okay, but if they find me I plan to run as far and as fast as I can. I refuse to go back there and live a life that had been planned out for me since I was born or at least shortly after my parents were murdered."

"I'll run with you" Paul agreed to, he wasn't going to leave Harry on the run alone. If he had to break pack to do it then he would. He loved Harry and would do anything in the world to make the small man happy. He may not be his imprint but he was something very special in Paul's life, something that everyone on the reservation saw as a good thing.

"Thank you" Harry said before hugging Paul and then asking for a piece of paper and something to write with. The medicine man handed over a sheet of blank paper and then was given a self-inking hawk quill. Harry took a deep breath and let it out as he wrote his name down on the sheet of paper. When nothing happened Harry handed over the paper to Paul who was by now on high alert waiting for something to materialize out of thin air. When nothing happened he too let a breath that he had been holding since Harry had begun to write his name down. Paul read over the name and then looked at Harry, so this was it. It didn't see a problem with someone saying the name out loud but he also didn't know a ton about the wizarding world and what they could and couldn't do with magic. After all they had a box full of trashy trinkets that had somehow taken over a vampire's feelings about someone that probably wasn't even on the radar until after he had been given the first item. Paul handed the paper over to the medicine man and he just nodded his head. So this confirmed what he had thought all along, now to get this information over to the Alpha of the pack to make sure that their tiny member would be safe at all points in time.

"The Alpha will need to know this" it was here that Harry began to worry. Someone was bound to say his name and the old man with his twinkling eyes and lemon drops would come calling and he would have to run. Moving onto the next city and watching around every corner to make sure no one found him. He had a piece of happiness right here and he didn't want to be back on the run again. Before he had left England he had already been called for while he hid out in the bank with the goblins. He had burned the letter the moment he got it knowing very well that it was no doubt a portkey set to take him off who knew where for who knew how long. It was still something that chilled him to the bone at what they could and would do to him and it being 'all for the greater good'.

"I will tell him" Paul said before kissing Harry on the top of his head and then jogging out of the medicine man's house to Emily's and Paul's house so he could discuss this latest piece of information.

"What should we do about the trinkets" Harry asked wanting to change the subject now that Paul was out of the room. He knew the other man had questions but he also knew he wasn't quite ready to answer any of the questions that Paul or Sam or even Edward for that matter would ask him once they got over the fact that Harry had told a white lie to protect himself for the Wizarding World both in the US and the UK.

"Can you cancel the spells on them" the medicine man asked. He knew that they would be able to burn the trinkets but to do that they would first need to cancel the spells that were on the trinkets to protect them from being destroyed. There was also the very real possibility that one of the spells or charms on the trinkets would cause a backlash that wouldn't be safe for anyone near the items when they were burned. Harry nodded his head stiffly he wasn't looking forward to this at all but he knew that it needed to be done and maybe just maybe Edward's actions weren't his own. One by one Harry lifted a spell only to have his face turn a bit grimmer with each spells that was being used. Each charm or spell made Harry want to throw up, the charms and spells ranged from a simple attraction spell to mind altering repulsion charms against other women and man to make sure that Edward stayed firmly in 'Bella Land'.

"You okay" the medicine man asked as Harry had broken out in a cold sweat. What this woman was doing made Harry's skin crawl someone shouldn't be this cruel just to get a few dollars off of a teenager and probably some adults.

"Does she know what she is doing?"

"I'm afraid that she does"

"Who does what" Sam asked as he entered the room that had Harry and the medicine man in it sitting front of, Harry looking sick to his stomach while the medicine man watched over Harry grim in his appearance.

"Mora Aplyse I'm afraid"

"She needs to be stopped" Sam said agreeing with both Harry and the medicine man but not knowing what to do about containing her. Her family had been doing this sort of thing for generations now and he didn't think she would be willing to stop just because they told her to. It was the reason on why she traveled the area so much. At times Sam had wondered about her age since she looked much too young to have two daughters in their early twenties.

"Until people stop buying what she is selling we can do nothing, only try to stop the damage she is inflicting to our people"

"There must be a way though" Harry said thinking of all the spells, potions and other things that may help in containing the woman.

"I'm sure you will come up with something" Sam said knowing that Harry would no doubt figure out how to contain the woman and her two daughters.

"Now about that name of yours" Sam said crossing his arms and giving Harry a look that told him he was in trouble.

"Why didn't you tell me…us sooner"

"Because I didn't want to get the reaction I'm getting now" Harry said backing away a bit from where Sam stood with the large contingent of shape-shifters.

"I'm sorry" Sam said before tipping his head to the side as if he was listening to something out in the distance.

"Quil, Embry check the perimeter" Sam had this feeling that Mora was attempting to get into the La Push territory even though she was not welcome. The pair of boys were off and out to the perimeter looking for anything strange happening. When Mora Aplyse and her daughters arrived to town chaos was right around the corner.


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them. Their greatness comes from their creators JK Rowling and Stephanie Myers._

_Pairing: HP/EC, PL/?, JB/?, other pairings to remain_

_Warning: Minor boy on boy action_

Cocking his head to the side, Sam listened to what Quil and Embry saw and it was one of the Aplyse women out in the forest looking for something, a plant it seemed but she wasn't having very much luck so she was cursing every God and Fate for dealing her a difficult hand.

"She's here with her daughters" Sam said without surprise, he had felt when someone had entered the territory but he had known it wasn't one of the vampires but he had felt some sort of signature in the area around the La Push forest.

"I bet Swan will find her" Harry said a bit sad at the idea of Edward going off to 'Bella Land' again. There was nothing he could do that could have the vampire see through the deception that the girl was weaving via the magix in or on the trinkets.

"We can only wait and see" Paul said knowing that Harry was already sort of attached to Edward being back in his life. Harry may not admit it to him freely but the teen was firmly in love with *his* vampire as he had heard once from Harry while he was cooking dinner out on the patio of the house.

"I want to go home" Harry said, he at least wanted one more night with Edward before he left his life and probably for good this time as he couldn't have his heart broken again by Edward.

"Go, I'll be there later on" Paul said watching as Harry left in a daze, he wasn't sure what he could do but he did know that Edward Cullen was part of the answer and he didn't want to be near the leech if he didn't have to. Harry smiled sadly as he left in a daze, he would have one more night with Edward and he was going to make it count. He wouldn't have any regrets that much he knew and he was going to let the vampire know his feeling. Hopefully it would allow him the love that he so wanted from the vampire.

~~~~~~~~~~~Harry's House~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry arrived to his house not really noticing that Edward was sitting in his front yard waiting for him to pull up.

"Harry" Edward said as he popped up and opened the car door for the small teen.

"Edward" Harry said a sad smile on his face. He so loved this man and there was nothing he could do to counter act the fact that Bella Swan was going to win the heart of Edward Cullen once again even if it was through potions and spells.

"What's wrong?" Edward knew instantly that something was wrong; he could feel it and see it on Harry.

"The witch is back" Edward looked at Harry confused before answering with something that made Harry smile.

"Yes I know Swan is back but do we have to resort to name calling" Harry smiled if only it were that simple.

"No, the witch that she bought the potions and spells from is back"

"Well I know better than to take anything from her now"

"I don't think it will be that simple Edward"

"Then what do we do, I don't want her. I love you" Edward said he had been sitting there thinking about how he had met Harry and about how much he loved the other boy. He was willing to leave the coven if it came to it to stay away from Isabella Swan and the potions and spells that she used to ensnare him into something he didn't want to be a part of. Harry head picked up at hearing Edward's words. Edward loved him! Him!

"I love you too Edward" there he had said it, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

"Good, then we will make this work" Edward said before reaching out and grabbing one of Harry's slack hands. They would figure it out and when they did they would destroy Swan and the witches that caused him and Harry so much pain.

"We will make it work" Harry repeated for once actually believing in what Edward had just said.

"Come on now, it's cold and wet out here and I don't want you getting sick" Edward said pulling the keys out of Harry's hands and then guiding the small teen to the back door to the house. Once inside it was then that Edward decided he would take things as far as Harry wanted before stopping. He had to have his vere coniuge this night and he knew that Harry felt much the same way.

"Harry, love" Edward said love shinning out of his amber orbs letting Harry know that he was ready to take it as far as Harry wanted to before stopping if that was what he wanted. Edward leaned closer and closer waiting for Harry to stop him but when nothing came he brought his cool lips to Harry's and it was then that Harry melted into Edward's hands. He had been missing this, Harry wasn't sure he would be able to live without this now that he had it right there in his hands.

"Tell me when to stop" Edward warned to Harry, instead of Harry nodding his head he moaned. Edward was addicting and now he knew it. Edward growled low in his throat his little mate was moaning out for him. Not Paul or any of the wolf pack but for him and only him, something he planned to have Harry do on a regular basis.

"More" was the only word that Harry had been capable of thinking before being picked up and carried into the master bedroom of the house. The mural was still there, the blue sky and green grass and trees were the only things on the wall, it seemed that the animals had somehow disappeared something that Edward was quite happy for. It would have been very odd to make love to his mate while animals stood around and watched him. Talk about performance anxiety, not that he thought he would get that far with Harry on that night but one could hope after all they were meant to be together forever, as corny as it sounded. It was while Edward nipped and kissed all of Harry's neck that Harry seemed to come out of the fog that had entered his mind the moment that he found out that the old woman and her daughters were on La Push and Forks territory.

"Stop, Edward stop" Edward let out a low growl before pulling his lips away from Harry's neck where he had taken up residence leaving a nice sized bruise for all to see tomorrow at school.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want it to be like this. I want it….I want it for when I get married" Harry said tearing up at the idea of not making love to Edward before he was married. This was just one of the many reasons why Harry had fit so well into the Cullen coven; they were all from a different time. A time when a man courted the lady or man in this case of his choosing, a time when they got to know each other before jumping into bed with them.

"Married, huh?" Edward said a smile blooming on his face, maybe things would work out for once and Harry and he would be granted this one thing that he knew both of them desired above all else. Harry leaned back a bit and saw the smile on Edward's face.

"Well then, I guess it's a good time to ask huh?" Edward said before giving in just a bit and tasting the flesh that would one day be *his* to love and to cherish for all eternity for they would have to turn Harry once they were all certain that Harry was okay with living together with the coven as a vampire.

"Ask" Harry squeaked, he hadn't really thought that Edward would ask him to marry him. Granted the only place where this sort of thing was legal was in the Wizarding World and a few states but he didn't think that Edward would ever ask him to marry/bond with him. He had done his research on the matter when he had been at Hogwarts and had figured out that he liked looking at Draco Malfoy far more than he did Cho Chang or even Ginny Weasley for that matter.

"Yes, ask. I know it won't be legal for now but I was planning to ask none the less" Edward said rolling off of Harry and pulling something out of his pocket while kneeling on the carpeted floor of Harry's room.

"Will you Harry Griffin marry me?" Harry looked at Edward as if he had lost his mind. Why in the world would Edward ask such a question when Edward knew he was keeping secrets from him.

"But what about Swan"

"What about her? It's you that I love not her" Edward said now not feeling as confident as he had when he had asked Harry to marry him.

"Yes, yes, yes" Harry said before jumping on Edward and kissing him for all he was worth. This beautiful person wanted to be married to him. Bond to him and all of the drama that surrounded him; he now needed to tell Edward the truth for he deserved to know the truth. He deserved to know what he was getting into by marrying him.

"Yes?" Edward said surprised, he hadn't thought that Harry would say yes but now that he had he couldn't contain the huge smile on his face. He would have to tell everyone if Alice hadn't spilled the beans already.

"Yes, but you have to know the truth. I'm not who you thought that I would be."

"I don't care" Edward said, he didn't care about what Harry was or wasn't; he cared about Harry the person not Harry the supposed to be person. Swan had taught him that much, he just hoped that everything would work out and that he and Harry could start a life together sooner rather than later.

"But you have to know the truth"

"Then what is the truth" Edward asked wondering what it was that Harry had been keeping from him and his family. He had thought that they knew all there was about Harry but it seemed that they were wrong on this account.

"My name isn't Harry Griffin" Harry said before Edward stopped him yet again.

"I don't care" here was a slight lie but in the end Edward truly didn't care if Harry wasn't Harry Griffin, he was Edward's vere coniuge and they were meant to be together.

"But please hear me out" Harry said before waiting for Edward to nod his head.

"My name…..my name is…. Here" Harry said grabbing a piece of paper that was sitting on the nightstand and a pen. Harry wrote his name down and slid it over to Edward, hoping against hope that he wouldn't speak the name out loud.

"Harry….."

"Stop! Don't say the last name" Harry said looking at Edward with tears in his eyes there was no way that Edward would want to be with him once he knew the truth.

"Why not, what's going on" Edward asked now a bit worried over what was going on.

"I'm magical as you know but what you don't know is that I'm on the run. There is are three men after me, each for a different reason but out for my blood in the end" Harry started out, he knew after he finished his words that Edward would gladly welcome Swan back into his life and that is what made this all the harder for him.

"One wants to destroy me, one wants to control me and one wants me to defeat the man that is trying to destroy me."

"I don't get….."

"When I was a baby my family was attacked. My parents were killed and the man that killed them tried to kill me too but it didn't work. Instead he was to become a vesper and I was left at my aunt's house with her fat louse of a husband and her whale of a son to be taken care of. There I was treated like crap, doing the dirty work of the family never once knowing anything about my father or my mother. I found out about my parents when the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts told me about the life my parents had before they were killed and brought me to a school where I would learn to become a wizard. So I was sent to school during the year and spent my summers with my Aunt and her family never once being asked if I was okay or if I was hurt. People just assume that I was some sort spoiled brat and that I had everything given to me. They didn't know a damn thing!" Harry said getting angry at the mere thought of Dumbledore and what he had made him live through and attempted even now to keep him living with his Aunt and Uncle.

"The third man was and is the worst, leaving me to live with my relatives when he could have taken care of me. Granted he had been in prison but afterwards he had a chance to save me, and he decided that having fun was more important. So I was left to rot never being taught anything and having to put up with people dictating my life to me. I don't want to marry a Weasley and I don't like girls…..was I even asked about who I liked or didn't like? No they just assumed like always" Harry said before deflating, even now he was angry with the three men and he was quite happy to see them all rot before he went back.

"Harry, what do you mean? Were you abused" Edward asked afraid to know the answer. He didn't know what he would do if Harry told him that he had been abused while staying at this Aunt's house. He had a feeling that Harry had been abused but he wanted Harry to confirm it.

"Yes"

"How bad, are you okay now"

"I'm fine but some, some of the acts left scars" Harry said rolling into a ball with his back turned away from Edward's face.

"How bad" Edward asked reaching out a hand to Harry's back and lightly running his hands down his back, immediately feeling the risen scars on his back.

"Yeah"

"Why in the world would someone do this to you? You are amazing" Edward said before pulling Harry from the tight ball he had wrapped himself in and pulling Harry into his arms. He then wrapped himself around Harry feeling each and every scar as his body came into contact to.

"I'm not worth it Edward" Harry mumble, even Edward's cold body couldn't seem to stop him and the thoughts he was thinking.

"So very worth it" Edward said before kissing and nipping Harry neck one last time before he decided that they needed to talk about the things that he had just been told.

"Tomorrow we talk to the rest of the coven, but tonight you shall get a good night's sleep"

"Paul is going to come back" Harry said wanting for Edward to stay there and watch over his sleeping body.

"Then we will deal with each other when we need to."

"Sleep, tomorrow we have school" Edward said pulling Harry's body closer to his and rubbing Harry's back now that Harry was facing him. Harry nodded his head and then soon enough Harry was asleep. Edward watched over Harry's body all night never once worried about when Paul came back to the house and nodded at him for being there for Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Quiet, quiet" Professor McGonagall called out wanting to have the meeting start as soon as possible she did after all have to tend to the detentions that she had doled out to Ginny Weasley and some random boy and finding the pair of them in something that was very unbecoming as a Gryffindor.

"Minerva, thank you" the headmaster said before looking over the group that had been collected this day.

"No problem headmaster, now if you will excuse me I need to see to some detentions tonight"

"Yes of course" the headmaster said looking over the group and wondering if any of them would be of any help to finding Harry. They had as of yet been able to find the boy and he was beginning to worry that Harry would never be found. He had even reached out to his contacts in the US of all places to see if they had any sort of log that showed that Harry may be there. So far they got nothing but the headmaster was certain that this was probably the first place that Harry would go if he was trying to run and hide. The country was large enough to hide Harry should he be hiding, which the headmaster didn't think he was. After all why would Harry run from them, they were the only thing that the small teen knew.

"Where's the boy at?" Molly Weasley asked she had been promised by not only the Sirius Black but the headmaster as well that Harry would soon be back at Hogwarts ready to be married off to her daughter and she would then inherit a vault full on money once Harry died in the final battle. Molly didn't see him livening much beyond that and if he did it had already been decided that Harry would need to be eliminated so that he would get in the way of their plans to steal his vaults worth of money.

"We are working on it" the headmaster said a bit tired of Molly being so pushy, he didn't see how Arthur did it on a day-to-day basis and managed to have seven children as well with the woman.

"But it shouldn't be this hard" Molly said being pushy still, he may be the headmaster and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards but she was going to get what she deserved and that was a vault full of money.

"No it shouldn't but nothing is ever easy when it involves Potter" Ron spat, he had been totally unhappy to hear that Harry had fled his relative's house during the summer. He had been promised that as soon as Harry joined the Order both he and Hermione would be able to join the Order as fully fledged members unlike the junior members that they were currently.

"Ron has a point" Hermione pointed out trying and failing to sound more important than she really was. She too had been unhappy to hear the news about Harry running from his Aunt's house. She had been fire-called one evening while her family was vacationing in Australia, to be told that Harry wasn't at his Aunt's house and they had no idea how long the teen had been gone. When his Aunt was questioned she got the most peculiar look on her face while she told them that Harry had left. She hadn't been able to give a day, it was almost as if she was spelled silent, which the headmaster knew not to be true. Harry had been distracted enough during his time at Hogwarts with Ron and the never ending tests that he himself put the boy through, that he didn't have time to research and figure out spells that allowed a person to be spelled silence about certain details.

"Yes, I'm afraid I didn't anticipate this" the headmaster said sitting in his large chair behind his overly large desk.

"So what are we to do? The Dark Lord gets stronger and stronger; we just can't sit here and wait for the boy to return on his own." Snape snarled out; spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. He *hated* this boy and yet here they were relying on an eighteen year to defeat the darkest wizard of all time because of some prophecy that was at the Ministry. He regretted every day that he had brought the prophecy to the Dark Lord, he should have seen that this would end badly for him but at the time he had been young and dare he say it, but stupid about life and getting what you wanted out of it that he had ran straight to the man that set to destroy the wizarding world.

"Yes, we all know that Severus but I have contacted several of the other countries and I have yet to hear back from any of them about Harry arriving there this summer"

"None of them?" Sirius Black asked confused, he hadn't thought that Harry would make a run for it.

"None of them, I have received word back from France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Japan but there are others I requested help from that I have yet to hear something back on."

"What about the U.S." Remus asked logically, they were the only power that hadn't been listed.

"They are as always being difficult on the subject" the headmaster said, the U.S. was known to be on not so great terms with the Ministry of Magic. It always came down to the laws and proclamations that they, the Ministry, had in regards to other wizarding countries.

"Well make them" Sirius said put out at the idea that someone wasn't doing what the great Albus Dumbledore wanted.

"It's not that simple Black" Snape spat out again, there was no way that the headmaster could do anything since the United States didn't have a vote on the International Confederation of Wizards board.

"Well then send someone" Sirius said still put out, this wasn't what he wanted to be dealing with right now. He had been in a hot session with one of the wait staff at an expensive wizarding restaurant in France when his charm alerted him to the fact that he was needed back at Hogwarts and A.S.A.P.

"Who would you like to send Black? Certain not you I don't imagine"

"No but I'm sure Ron and Hermione would be good"

"Do you know how *large* that country is and you want to set two eighteen year olds out to find him? Are you daft? You simply must be" Snape said laughing a bit at the end, it was hilarious to think that Black actually thought that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger would be able to find Harry and they didn't know exactly when the boy ran and to what country.

"You both have a point but fighting about it gets us nowhere, grow up" Remus Lupin snapped, he was tired of having to come in between Sirius and Severus. It was as if they had reverted back to their years at Hogwarts once Sirius had been cleared of all charges of killing the muggles on the night of the Potter's attack. Peter Pettigrew had been found on the door step of the Ministry mumbling about not getting it right. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge had immediately put out a decree that told everyone that Peter Pettigrew had been found and that Sirius Black was no longer a threat and that Sirius should report to the Ministry for an immediate meeting with the Ministry no matter the time.

"Everyone, everyone; I know that tensions are high but fighting as Remus said will get us nowhere, we need to decide what we plan to do"

"So what do we do?" Molly said her arms crossed over her chest, this was just getting ridiculous on how these meetings were going. Since the boy had disappeared things had been going downhill not only in the Order meetings but also at the Ministry its self. They had declared multiple proclamations that all Pure Blood men and women would need to be married at the end of their seventh year at Hogwarts. It just so happened that she and Sirius had come to an agreement about the future bonding of Harry and Ginny so she need not worry about Ginny marrying some boy with no money.

"We will simply must send someone to the United States and do a search for the boy state by state"

"State?" Sirius asked, he may have been for muggleborn rights but he truly was a good ol' boy when it came down to it. Sirius just like the rest of the Pure Bloods didn't want to taint their bloodlines with a muggleborn but felt that muggleborns should have rights as well.

"It's what they call an area of land over there. It has its own governing body and reports back to what they call a federal government , that is where the headmaster has asked for help from" Hermione said primping under all the attention she was getting. She had been reading up on the United States and the place just seemed so backwards in their ways that she was amazed that they were actually able to function as a cohesive unit.

"Well I'm not going" Ron said petulant over the fact that he may be picked just because they would say it would be good "field experience" for him and Hermione.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley you will do whatever the headmaster says you must do" Molly said glaring at her son and the way that he was acting. She didn't need the stress of Ron being an arse, she had spoken to Minerva about Ginny and was not pleased at all to hear that she was carousing with boys in a way that would be unbecoming of the Lady Potter.

"I simply can't go, I'm going to university" Hermione said worried that her chance to go to university for Magix would be dashed because of the headmaster and her being a member, even junior in status but still a member that had to listen to her leader.

"No, you won't be going Ms. Granger or you Mr. Weasley. No I think I need to send a pair that has more experience" the headmaster said his eyes twinkling at the thought of enraging Hermione. The girl really was a pain but she would be able to find anything in a book in a matter of hours, it was the only reason why he had accepted her as a junior member to the Order. He had not wanted to her in the Order to begin with but as the years went by the girl and proved herself over and over again. Here Hermione sputtered well when it was put like that, she looked like a dunce.

"I think Ms. Lovegood would be an excellent candidate, I think along with Ms. Delacour" the headmaster said watching as Ron's ear perked up at the idea of working with Fluer. Hermione laughed the thought of those two finding Harry, Luna was nutters as Ron would say, while Fluer was just a pretty face to look at. She had tried during the Tri-Wizard Tournament to talk to the girl but she seemed to not have a clue what she had been talking about.

"I'll go as well"

"Sorry Mr. Weasley but I only got clearance for two people"

"I'm sure that Luna wouldn't mind" Ron said trying to find a way to get to go on this mission with Fleur.

"I've already spoken to her father about it and he is willing to allow her to go, so I'm afaird Mr. Weasley you will just have to wait" the headmaster said chuckling at the humor of Ron spluttering and turning red when he was being embarrassed. It was like watching Molly Weasley when she was back at Hogwarts and thought she was right about something, he knew who Ron got the 'greater than thou' attitude.

"When do they leave?" Sirius asked looking at the faces of everyone and seeing a mixed bag of reactions. He hadn't had a lot to do with Luna Lovegood in the fight against Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries but from the looks on people's faces it didn't look like that was the best of ideas.

"Tomorrow morning when Ms. Lovegood arrives to Hogwarts, Ms. Delacour will be flooing straight to the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs from her current location" the headmaster said, laughing at the put-out look on Ron's face.

"If that is all Headmaster" Snape said in a clipped, the old man had pulled him away from his potions for that?!

"Yes, yes….it is late and you all need your rest" the headmaster said before the group began to break-up.

"Headmaster" Minerva said entering the room as people were leaving.

"Everything is fine, no need to worry about this meeting" the headmaster said before dismissing Minerva so that he could get back to try to find a way to defeat Voldemort on his own, but so far he had come up with no other ways to defeat the man except for Harry defeating the man. So far they had placed restrictions on the name 'Harry Potter' and so far the only people who were using the name were muggles who knew a Harry Potter that was a muggle. There were total of 10 Harry Potters in the world, excluding the Harry Potter they were looking for. They had even done a search of Harry Evans but came up empty handed on that as well so now here they were, searching for Harry Potter the hard way by hand.

"Where are you Potter?" Albus Dumbledore asked an empty room, or was it a not so empty room?


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them. They are owned by their mistresses, neither of which is me. No harm, no foul….that's my thought._

_Pairing: HP/EC, PL/?, JB/?_

_Note: I'm not writing Fleur with an accent; just imagine the accent being there. Too many red squiggles for me not to pay attention to._

**~~~~~~~~~~~Washington, D.C; Office of Intergovernmental Affairs ~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Ms. Fleur Delacour?" A medium height man asked as a woman with long flowing white-blonde hair made her way out of the International Floo System.

"That is me" the woman with a thick French accent said looking at the man and wondering who her partner was going to be for this mission. She had dealt with a few of the Weasleys and found them argumentative like their mother something that she didn't want to deal with and she was lucky in not having to deal with Hermione Granger. The girl and that was what she was with the way that she acted, was an irritant even now as they were on the same side of the war.

"Ah, right this way" the man said looking at his clip board and writing something down. He paid no attention to Fleur's beautiful looks since he seemed to be reading what was on the clipboard intensely.

"My name is Sheldon and I will be helping you get through customs. Things have been a real bear recently but I'm sure you can understand why" the man rattled on as if he wasn't even speaking to Fleur.

"The Deputy Assistant wishes to speak to you if that's alright" Sheldon said before speaking again.

"Great, it will only take a moment" here Fleur just continued to follow the man as they made their way down a large corridor lined with doors and flying paper airplanes. Sheldon knocked on the door before opening it and showing Fleur the way in.

"Ms. Delacour" a man said rising up from the seated position as Fleur made her way into the large but homey office.

"Monsieur…." Fleur said not really sure who it was that she was talking to but she figured that it was the Deputy Assistant.

"Kurt Jakes" the man said sticking out a hand and shaking Fleur's, something that was quite odd to her. When the headmaster had asked her to go on the hunt for Harry Potter, she had thought that they were kidding. When it didn't look like the headmaster wasn't trying to pull one over on her she had volunteered to find Harry if only to make sure that Harry was okay.

"Fleur Delacour"

"Pleasure to meet you" the man said an easy smile on his face.

"Likewise" Fleur said before smiling at the man hoping that he would be able to help her settle in.

"I assume the floo treated you alright"

"It did"

"Excellent, excellent, I hear that there is another person that will be arriving"

"Yes"

"I have an arrival time of tomorrow at 9:30 PM, is that correct" the man said after taking a seat at his desk and shuffling through a stack of papers.

"I think so" Fleur said not really sure who her partner was, the headmaster had been very vague on who it was but she could hope that it wasn't one of the Weasleys. They had too much flaming orange hair for her liking.

"A Ms. Luna Lovegood?" the man asked Fleur to which he got a blank look. So it seemed that the great Albus Dumbledore was up to his same tricks of not telling everyone the whole story.

"I'm going to assume that you have a place to stay while here?"

"Yes, yes the Donovan House"

"Excellent, it's just a few blocks over from where we are located. Let me have Sheldon call a taxi for you"

"That would be wonderful" Fleur said happy that the man was being so helpful.

"Sheldon" the man said while giving a shout, Sheldon was never far away from him when he was at work.

"Sir"

"Call a taxi for Ms. Delacour to take her to the Donovan House" here Sheldon's eyebrows rose, they were staying at the Donovan House for the next few days, the place was known to be one of the few five stars hotels in the area. Expensive to be sure, something that Sheldon didn't expect at all.

"Right away sir" Sheldon said before speeding out of the room and making a phone call to get a taxi.

"Please have a seat" Kurt said pointing to some chairs and taking a seat himself.

"I see you have on robes, you will of course want to make sure that you take them off before going into the muggle world. Most find robes a bit odd so you may want to dress in something a bit more muggle."

"Sir, the taxi should be here in the next fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Excellent, Sheldon will show you to the restrooms to change and then will escort you to the front door of the building. If you have any questions or issues please contact your government's consult representative"

"Ms. Delacour right this way" Sheldon said as they walked to the restrooms for Fleur to change into something more muggle. Sadly she would have to transfigure her favorite robe to not stick out like a sore thumb here.

"Merci" Fleur said as she walked into the restroom and changed her robes into a light blue top with a black skirt. Fleur returned soon enough to a waiting Sheldon, who it seemed was on one of those devices that seemed to be attached to every person in the building.

"Right this way" Sheldon said putting away his cell phone and then making the trek to the main entry of the building which was where she would be picking up her partner tomorrow evening.

"Here we are, when you leave please enter through here and they will check you out"

"Merci" Fleur said before walking done the stairs of the building and to the waiting car. Fleur was a bit leery of the item but she figured it could be any worse than riding in flying carriage.

"You goin' to the Donovan House" the man asked Fleur before taking notice of Fleur and how beautiful she was.

"Yes"

"Hop on in honey" the man said before gunning the engine the moment that Fleur was in the car.

"So what you here for?" The man asked automatically assuming that Fleur was there for the Atwood Beauty Convention.

"Business"

"Right" the man said trying and failing to get Fleur to talk.

"Here we are" the taxi driver said pulling up to the front of a building that had people coming and going.

"Merci" Fleur said before digging in the small bag she had with her and paying the man and giving him a sizable tip since she didn't understand the U.S. currency. Fleur was greeted with open arms from the staff of the hotel and Fleur could honestly say that she was enjoying her time in the U.S. for the time being.

**~~~~~~~~~~~Washington, D.C ~~~~~~~~~~~~**

The next day arrived and Fleur made herself busy with trying to figure out the major magical hubs of the U.S. and where would Harry most likely hide, so far she hadn't come up with much having never used any sort of muggle items so it was down to maps and papers that the headmaster had supplied to her when she had agreed to go on the mission. Sadly though they seemed to be dated for some time in the 1970's, they were roughly twenty five years out of date.

"I can only hope that my partner will know more about muggles than I do" Fleur told the empty room, just before she was to go and pick up her partner up. She had asked the front desk people to call her taxi for the next evening and they had been nice enough to accommodate her request. Then again the drool that looked to be rolling down the man's face when she spoke to him might also be a reason.

**~~~~~~~~~~~Washington, D.C; Office of Intergovernmental Affairs ~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"State your business"

"What?"

"State your business"

"I am here to pick someone up" Fleur said after she had arrived to the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

"Fleur" said a dreaming like voice that came from behind the large man that had been asking her about her business at the building.

"Luna Lovegood" Fleur asked in disbelief, she hadn't known that Luna was even part of the Order, not that she was either.

"Hello" Luna said in greeting before spinning past the guard and then grabbing Fleur's hand and then leading the woman out of the building and onto the waiting street.

"We will need to call a taxi"

"I'm sure we can get one" Luna said before spinning down the stairs and waving her hand in the air. She hadn't changed into muggle clothes so she was easy to spot as she stood at the curb decked out in purple robe with red radish ear rings and a cork bottle necklace . Soon enough a taxi stopped and Luna and Fleur were getting into the car and they were off to hotel that had been booked for them. The ride to the hotel was a quick one and Fleur was then grilling Luna for any and all information that the girl had received in respect to their mission.

"Fleur I didn't know were part of the Order."

"Same could be said to you" Fleur said eyeing the girl and wondering what side of the war she was on. Granted she knew that Luna would never join the Dark Lord after the fight that she had been in with his Death Eater, but then again he may not want someone as odd as Luna in his ranks anyway; but that didn't mean she was siding with Dumbledore and his contingent of 'light fighters' either.

"What do you know about the mission?" Fleur asked Luna before Luna's voice took on its dream like quality to answer Fleur's question.

"We are to find Harry" Luna said looking Fleur over and evaluating whether not the woman would be a threat later on or not.

"Does the headmaster know where he is?"

"No, I was only given this" Luna pulled out a large pack of papers to which Fleur pulled her packet of papers as well and they began to plot out where they would go and in what order. Both had the same goal, but they wouldn't find that out until later.

"We will need to become more like the muggles here. They have these things that they use. They tap on them"

"Oh?" Luna said before cocking her head to the side and getting a faraway look on her face. Fleur couldn't believe it; this was her partner? The girl couldn't even for focus on the task at hand. Soon enough Luna came out of her dazed looking state and gave Fleur a smile that told the woman that she knew more than what people that she did.

"Yes, they are so muggle driven here" Fleur didn't understand how they could be so backwards when dealing with the world at large. She had been born and raised in the Wizarding world so she hadn't ever had to deal with muggle before. Sure she knew of some muggleborns but she hadn't dealt with a muggle alone.

"What do we do?" Fleur didn't like the idea of not knowing what was coming next, especially not when they were in the muggle world with very limited contact to the Wizarding world back in England.

"We act as the muggles do and I'm sure we can find Harry on our own" Luna said smiling at Fleur again this time Fleur was certain that Luna knew more than what she was saying.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Harry's House; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Edward" Harry called out as he woke up he wanted last night to be true, he didn't want the words that Edward spoke to only be a dream.

"Morning" Edward said as soon as Harry was up, he had been in the kitchen at the time that Harry had called out for him.

"It was real" Harry mumbled a smile on his face when he caught sight of Edward.

"Yeah it was real" here Harry blushed embarrassed that Edward had heard him speak, that was the one thing with dealing with vampires you had to be careful on what you could say and do or they may get more information than you wanted them to have.

"Morning" Edward said going over to Harry and kissing him lightly on the lips. This came so easily for him, he didn't know how he had lived without Harry before but it was a mere shade of his existence that was for sure.

"Morning" Harry said after Edward had pulled away something that both wished not to happen.

"Better get dressed, we have school to go to" Edward knew that the pair of them would start something when he arrived in Harry's car. Something that he always loved driving since it was small enough to get into some pretty tight space unlike his Volvo.

"School, right" Harry said still processing that the night he had with Edward was real. Edward smiled at his little mate and kissed him again before going back downstairs to wait for Harry. He had been searching the kitchen for something that Harry could eat but he had instead been talking to Paul in low tones not wanting to wake Harry up with their conversation. When the pair had heard Harry they had broken up with Paul leaving for work and Edward to go and greet his mate for the morning.

Fifteen minutes later Harry came down the stairs of the house to see Edward standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a smile on his face; it in turn made him smile. This was real, Edward was here and the words he had spoken were true.

"Let's go you" Edward said before holding out a hand for Harry to take. Harry was immediately by Edward's side the smile getting bigger by the moment. There was no way he was going to allow Swan to win now that he knew that Edward loved him. Harry locked up the house never once thinking that his life would change so drastically in a matter of 24 hours.

"Keys?"

"Keys? I'm driving" Harry said loving the idea of him and Edward being back to 'normal'.

"No, I'm driving" Edward said and quick as lightening grabbing the car keys and getting shocked for it.

"No fair!"

"No, no fair" Harry said attempting and failing to get into the driver's side of the car.

"Let me drive us to school" Edward said still fighting with Harry about who was going to drive to school.

"Fine" Harry said finally giving into Edward; he knew that they would be there all day debating who was going to drive so he figured he might as well give in. After all he was looking forward to the day ahead of them. The ride was a quick one since Edward was driving well over the 100 miles an hour mark, something that Harry commented on and got Edward's tongue sticking out at him.

"There's Swan" Harry said immediately seeing Bella standing by the Cullens looking not at all happy about the fact that Edward wasn't with them.

"She won't win" Edward said reassuring Harry, now that he had his mate he didn't plan to let him go. Bella Swan would never have his heart the way that Harry had it. There were things to still talk over but in the end Harry was what he want, who he wanted.

"Edward!" Bella shouted bringing the attention that had move over from a fighting Mike and Jessica over to where Bella was making her way over to where Harry sat in his car groaning at the idea of having to deal with Bella Swan that early in the morning.

"Shoot me now" Harry groaned before Edward opened the car door for him. Harry knew better than to even try and get out of the car without Edward opening the door. They had, had a huge fight when they had first become friends over this fact, Harry had told Edward that he was more than capable to getting the car door open and also making his way to his classes on his own, only to be told that Edward was doing the gentlemanly thing in walking him to class as well as opening any doors that needed to be opened. Harry had looked at Edward funny but finally gave in since it was so nice to have someone thinking about him for a change.

"Can't but be prepared" Edward said looking over to Alice to see if the girl would shed some light on what Bella was going to do.

"Always" Harry sighed before getting out of the car and then pulling his bag from the backseat not really paying much attention to Bella as she stomped over to where he and Edward were currently parked, which just so happened to not be next to where the rest of the Cullens were standing waiting for them to arrive.

"Alice says be careful" Edward said seeing a glimpse of what Bella had in store for them.

"Always" Harry said with his head still stuck inside the car. I seemed that his things fell out of his bag due to *someone's* driving.

"Edward what are you doing driving Griffin's car?" Bella said looking like an enraged witch.

"Harry let me drive" Edward said easy enough as if this was an everyday occurrence, and it had been before she had arrived but since her arrival things had changed and hadn't known about how inseparable Harry and Edward had been.

"Why would he let you drive? You had your car" Bella said confused, why in the world would Edward drive over to Harry's house only to then change cars to drive a different car to school?

"No, I stayed the night at Harry's" Edward told Bella and it was then that she exploded as Alice saw she would.

"What do you *mean* you *stayed the night*?! Guys don't do that sort of thing"

"Well I wasn't going to have someone come and pick me up" Edward said getting defensive he had seen the venom that Bella was going to spew but that didn't make it any easier on Harry who would be blindsided by the words.

"Pick you up? Pick you up! What do you mean pick up?"

"Well I had Rosalie drop me off" Edward decided it was then that he wasn't going to answer any more of Bella's questions it wasn't like she had a right to know the answers anyway. They were no longer going out and he had no urge to try and placate her and her whims.

"What for?"

"Don't worry about it" Edward said just as Harry popped out of the car glaring at Edward.

"You could have taken a bit of care on that last turn you know?" Harry said before noticing that Edward and Bella seemed to be in some sort of fight and he had missed the beginning of it since he had to pack his kit up again because Edward had gone a bit too fast around one of the turns coming into school.

"Oh Bella, hello" Harry said pleasantly, he wasn't going to get into a fight with this girl even if it meant walking away from Edward.

"Hello" Bella bit out, there wasn't any way for her to be nasty to Harry while Edward was near, she was still trying to get back with the other teen and she knew bad mouthing and fighting with Harry wasn't the way to go.

"Edward" Bella said whined not at all happy with the way that things were going.

"No, now let us thru" Edward said pocketing the keys to the car so that he could help Harry out of the car.

"Keys" Harry said not paying any attention to Bella and the glare that she was now giving him because he was acting as if nothing was wrong.

"Edward said he stayed the night" Bella said now trying to get into a fight with Harry over where Edward did and did not stay for the night.

"Yes he did, I have more than one free room" Harry said not getting what the big deal was about Edward staying the night was. He had gone to boarding school after all and it wasn't like Edward hadn't stayed the night at his house before.

"Guys just don't do that sort of thing"

"What's that? Staying at a friend's house?"

"Yeah"

"I think I've heard Mike stay over at Tyler's house on more than one occasion" Harry said looking at the girl as if she had lost her mind. Was she actually trying to start a fight with him?

"That's different"

"How?" Harry really was having a hard time with the reason on why Edward couldn't stay at his house.

"It just is" Bella said before a gust of wind blew through making Bella's hair fly in her face enraging her even more.

"I don't see how it is different"

"It just is, don't you get that"

"No, I don't get it" Harry said confused, the girl was actually trying to pick a fight with him with Edward standing right there.

"Well tell Edward that, not me"

"But it's your house! Don't you think it's odd?" Bella asked, she just didn't like the idea of Edward spending any sort of time with Harry. It just rubbed her the wrong way, and until she could find the old crone she wanted Edward as far away from Harry as possible.

"Harry" Alice said dancing in just as Bella was about to explode, she would make them see reason if it was the last thing she was going to do before class.

"Alice" Harry said happy to have his conversation with Bella cut-off by Alice showing up.

"We better start heading to class" Alice reminded the group as if they had forgotten and Bella had forgotten, she had just seen red when Edward had gotten out of Harry's car as if he own it and also it looked as if he had stayed the night which she felt was so wrong for *her* boyfriend was doing. Here the only thing that Bella could do was back down since it didn't look like Harry was going to entertain a fight with her.

"We will talk Edward" Bella said as a parting shot, she was going to explain to Edward that it was just wrong for her boyfriend to be seen getting out another boy's car and looking happy to be doing so.

"There is nothing to talk about Bella" Edward said to her back, the girl just shook her head as if she hadn't heard him speak the right words to her.

"Come on you" Alice said happy to see that Harry was actually happy for once in a long while. She could see that Bella would cause trouble but it wasn't anything that they as a group could handle. What she was worried about was a vision she had to two women with long silver blonde hair talking to Harry as if they knew him. The morning was spent with Edward having to listen to everyone talking about how he had arrived with Harry and how Bella had been spreading the fact that she and Edward were back together, they didn't look very together if most of the thoughts Edward could hear were to go by.

"Edward" Bella said popping up at the end of Edward's first class, she had ran all the way from her class to get to Edward's. She wasn't really sure how Edward was able to show up at her classroom door before but now she could see how much work Edward had gone thru to get to her. It had to account for something, right?

"Bella" Edward said quite surprised to see the girl at the doorway to his class. He had been getting ready to go and pick Harry up when he had made his way to the classroom door.

"You headed to second period?" Bella said a bit, okay quite winded. She honestly didn't see how people would chose to run for *fun* it so wasn't her.

"I was actually on my way to pick up Harry before going to second period." Edward said surprised that Bella was at his classroom door.

"Oh well, how about I walk with you to the next class" Bella said trying and failing to make Edward forget all about Harry.

"You are more than welcome to come but I'm sure you have better things you could be doing"

"No it's alright" Bella said trying to steer Edward away from where Harry's class was being held.

"This way" Edward said making a slight turn to where Harry's class was located.

"Your next class is this way Edward"

"Yes I know that, but Harry's class is this way" Edward pointed out to which he got a glower from Bella, seems that she couldn't get Edward to forget about Griffin long enough to have them arrive to her next class with Edward beside her.

"Well I'm sure that Harry can meet you there"

"Well I'm sure he can, but I had planned to walk with him as I usually do." Edward said he could see where this was going and he didn't want to go there with her now.

"You used to walk me to class, what happened? Where did I go wrong?" Bella said while starting her waterworks as the pair of them walked towards Harry's class. Edward had to sigh, where did Bella go wrong? Or more importantly where did Bella go right?

"Bella" Edward said trying to formulate the best response that he could about why he had broken up with the girl. The main reason was because he was in love with Harry but he hadn't known that until he had, had the other boy out of his life, something that he didn't think would have resulted in such a reaction.

"It's Griffin isn't it? He tells lies I tell you!" Bella said automatically jumping to the conclusion that Harry had done something that had probably counteracted the potions and spells that she had been given by the old crone.

"This has nothing to do with Harry and everything to deal with you. You treated my best friend as if he was something that could be pushed aside and that just can't happen. I won't allow it to happen." Edward said seeing that Bella was getting more and more enraged by the words that he was saying.

"Well why didn't you just say that?" Bella said after taking a calming breath, that hadn't been the answer she wanted to hear but it was better than what she thought he would say.

"We didn't have to break up because of *that*."

"We did, we do."

"So you mean to tell me that you are going to stay broken up with me because of something that I had no control over? That's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair Bella, you're not always going to get your way." It was by then that they arrived to Harry's classroom where the boy stood waiting for Edward since he knew that the other boy probably on his way there.

"Oh" Harry said when he noticed that Edward wasn't alone; he had been expecting Edward just not in the company of Bella. Bella smirked when she saw Harry deflate at seeing Edward wasn't alone.

"Harry" Edward said his face lighting up at seeing his little mate, it was then that Harry began to wonder if maybe just maybe Bella had followed Edward and not that he was walking the girl to class with him in company of the pair.

"Harry" Bella said putout at the fact that Edward had managed to somehow get them to Harry's classroom door and not towards her next class which is what she had been shooting for.

"Hi Bella" Harry said before looking at the pair and wondering what he should do, instead of trying to figure it out Edward took Harry's book bag and began to guide the small teen towards his next class of the day.

"Edward my class is over here" Bella said trying and failing to get Edward to dump Harry off at his class so that he could spend some time with her.

"Yes I know that but Harry's is over here" Edward pointed out, he wasn't Bella's boyfriend anymore and he knew that was what the girl was shooting towards.

"Well I'm sure he can get there on his own" Bella said not realizing that she was getting herself into more hot water than she had been in.

"Yes, I'm sure he can but I am going to walk with him"

"But I'll be late by the time you drop him off and walk me to class"

"Then I guess you will just have to walk to class on your own, or look Mike seems to be waiting for you" Edward said pointing to Mike who was making his way towards where the trio was walking towards. Bella sighed this was what she didn't want, no what she wanted was Edward firmly in love with her. He may have not said the words but she figured if she gave him enough potions and time that Edward would forget what his life was like before she had arrived.

"Bella, hey Bella" Mike said trying to piss off a watching Jessica.

"Hi Mike, what's up?"

"Just thought I would walk with you to class but I can see that you are already walking with someone."

"No, no she isn't" Edward said pulling Harry by the hand away from where it looked like Bella was going to explode onto Mike for trying and successfully breaking up the group as he had been planning to.

"Edward? Edward!" Bella screamed making more and more people watch as Edward walked with Harry away from where Bella stood with a smirking Mike next to her.

"What was that about?" Harry asked confused on why Edward had arrived with Bella walking next to him.

"I think she figures if she acts as if we never broke up that I will soon forget about you and life can return back to her normal."

"Oh, will things return back to 'normal'?"

"Yes" here Harry deflated; the girl had gotten to Edward before he could.

"My 'normal' with you by my side." This made Harry's head snap around to the other teen.

"What?"

"I'm not going to forget my mate, my fiancé after all, speaking of which I didn't get a chance to put a ring on your finger."

"Well now isn't the time for that. Swan would explode if she knew anything about it."

"I don't much care what she or anyone else thinks about my relationship with you is. I love you and that is all that matters."

"Edward it's not going to be that simple. I have secrets and so much baggage I could fill up a whole plane."

"I don't care now come on Alice is waiting for you." Edward said pointing out that Alice was in fact waiting on him a grin on her face at seeing the pair together. She knew that whatever was going on with Harry past wouldn't stop Edward from being with his mate and vere coniuge at that.

"I'll pick you up for third period." Edward said before leaning over and giving Harry a hug, this sent the people who saw it into a tailspin wondering what was really going on between the pair and was Bella so bad of a girlfriend that she had turned the hottest guy in school gay?

"Right, third period" Harry reminded himself. Edward had just given him a public display of affection something he knew would enrage Swan once she got word of it. First he and Edward arrived in his car with Edward driving, now she was rebuffed on Edward walking her to class and now, now here Edward was giving him a hug when most were just getting used to seeing the pair of them back together again.

Second period ticked on for all three people, one wanted to make damn sure that the other would not make it to where they were probably at.

"Edward" Bella said popping up at Edward's doorway class. She felt like such a groupie having to pop up at Edward's class room doors. She was so not happy about things, so not happy at all.

"Walk with you to class" Bella offered up.

"Oh, no thank you I have to go and get Harry."

"But I'm here and his class is on the other side of the campus" Bella pointed out as if that would stop Edward from going to get Harry.

"Yes I know that"

"Well what's the point of walking all the way there only to walk all the way back?"

"I want to get Harry"

"But aren't you tired of seeing him? You spent the night over at his house and now you are walking him to class. If I didn't know any better I would think that you are going out." Bella said before laughing at the idea of Edward picking Harry over her. Plus there was the fact that Edward was firmly in love with her, he had just forgotten that.

"What makes you think that we aren't going out?"

"What?!" Bella sputtered this was not the words she wanted to hear. She had been joking when she had said those words but now here she was confused beyond belief. There was no way that Edward was going out with Griffin, there was just no way.

"What makes you think that Harry and I aren't going out?"

"Because you're not gay, is why! Right? Of course you're not gay." Bella said trying to reassure herself.

"Hello again" Harry said when he saw Edward at the door to the classroom; it seemed that Bella had failed yet again at getting Edward where she wanted him to be.

"Edward!" Bella screamed, Harry saw Edward wince at the tone of voice Bella was using.

"Why do you insist on doing this? Why do you continue to act like we aren't together anymore? I love you doesn't that mean something? Anything?" By now Bella was crying which had resulted in a large group watching and whispering about what had made Bella start crying.

"Now is not the time or place for this." Edward said taking Harry's bag and then walking away with Harry following behind. It was then that Bella sunk her claws into Harry.

"This is all your fault! You set Edward against me, I know you did!" Bella shouted while pointing to Harry with rage in her eyes.

"I didn't do anything" Harry said worried that Bella would try something even with the amount of people watching.

"Yes you did, I know you did! Don't act like you didn't, this is all your fault!"

"Bella I said this is not the time or the place for this." Edward reminded Bella, they would deal with this at a later time which was probably what she wanted to begin with.

"When is the time and when is the place, huh Edward? Huh?"

"After school" it was then that Harry noticed the smug smile on Bella's face. Edward had fallen for what she had wanted. Harry could only shake his head there was no point in telling Edward that he had fallen for what she had been selling.

"Fine, just fine. After school" Bella simpered before shuffling off to where Jessica and Mike were holding hands, so it looked like they were firmly 'on' again. Edward sighed he didn't want to deal with Bella but he knew that he would have to sooner or later and he would rather deal with her now than deal with her later.

"You fell for it hook, line and sinker" Harry said once Bella was far away enough that he could speak without being heard by her.

"What?" Edward asked, what in the world did Harry mean by that?

"That was exactly what she wanted, you know that right?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You didn't notice the happy gleam in her eyes when you say after school. She's got something planned and it's going to make me look like a fool and her looking like she was the angel she thinks she was."

"Happy gleam in her eyes?" Edward was starting to get the sinking feeling that he had just fell for what she had been selling, all to get rid of the girl.

"Will you stop repeating what I say?" Harry said before cracking a bit of a smile, even though the situation wasn't the best it was funny to hear Edward confused. A rarity.

"Will you stop repeating what I say?" Edward repeated back to Harry before smiling at the boy. The pair arrived to the cafeteria where it seemed Bella was holding court over the popular table.

"Now what do you mean that I fell for what she wanted?"

"I don't know what her plans are but she wanted to get you alone with her, I could just feel the smugness coming off of her when you agreed." Edward wanted to groan at what Harry had said. He could see what Harry was saying now that he had agreed to meet her after school.

"Then I do it now and catch her off guard." Edward said before leaving Harry and going over to where Bella sat acting as if was sad even though Jasper could feel the superiority complex she had going on. Harry wondered if Jasper could feel the smugness coming off of Bella that was still no doubt present. Harry stood at the Cullen table seeing each one of the Cullens faces told him all he needed to see, that they knew and were unhappy with their brother.

"What did you see Alice?" Harry asked for there was no other way to know what was really going on in Bella's mind then Jasper telling them the kind of feelings that were coming off of the girl.

"Edward fell for it, but she is now confused. Before the outcome had been bad now it seems that things have changed." Alice said watching as Edward pulled Bella away from the popular table to talk to her in private. Bella threw a smug look over to the table before following Edward out of the cafeteria doors.

"Jasper" Harry said taking a seat and waiting for Jasper to speak.

"She was quite smug about the whole Edward talking to her now, I don't imagine that she will be in such good spirits when they return."

"No she won't" Alice said just as the doors to the cafeteria flew open with a loud bang.

"She's back it seems" Harry stated as he watched the girl stalk into the room and back to her lunch.

"She's not happy at all" Jasper said before looking to the door and seeing Edward walking in as calm as usual. It of course didn't show the anger that was coming off of him, how dare she blame everything on Harry as if it was him that had been giving him potions to make him and keep him in love with her.

"Sorry about that Harry" Edward said apologizing to his mate for having to leave him to deal with Bella.

"Quite alright, everything okay?"

"Better but they would be great if we could skip the rest of the day and go home and snuggle"

"Awww, Edward said snuggle" Alice said with a giggle it was nice to see her brother so dare she say it but happy. Edward had been a mere shade of himself while with Bella, they could all see that now and it made them feel even worse for pushing Harry away.

"I think that can be arranged" Harry said making a split second decision the likes of which Alice had already seen.

"Let's go" Harry told Edward before grabbing his bag and leaving out of the cafeteria with Edward following behind looking to Alice for any help but only getting a smile and her singing some Japanese pop music she had been listening to the night before.

"We're leaving" Edward asked as he took Harry's bag from him and guided the small teen towards the parking lot, hoping that this was where Harry wanted to go.

"Yes, I don't want to have to deal with Swan and I have a bad feeling that I'm next in 'Risk' and I need all the help I can get before Monday, since if he calls on me when I'm not here then I don't have to go until next time."

"So no snuggle time?"

"Now I didn't say that." Harry said before the pair where off and back to Harry's house to spend some quality time together.


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them. They are owned by their mistresses, neither of which is me. No harm, no foul….that's my thought._

_Pairing: HP/EC, PL/?, JB/?_

_Note: I'm not writing Fleur with an accent; just imagine the accent being there. Too many red squiggles for me not to pay attention to._

**~~~~~~~~~~~Washington, D.C; Donovan House ~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Good morning Luna" Fleur said to her partner who seemed busy stringing together something that she had never seen before together and then putting it around her neck. This was her partner? That was laughable at best; she was really beginning to wonder what the headmaster had been thinking with partnering her up with this girl who couldn't even seem to find her shoes on a day-to-day basis when they had been at Hogwarts for the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"Oh, good morning Fleur" Luna said before putting the string of whatever it was around her neck and smiling at the woman that was her partner on the quest to find Harry. She fully planned to find Harry but what the headmaster and the rest didn't know was that she wouldn't be returning with Harry instead she would disappear just as he had. She hoped that Harry would take her in and allow her to live a life in the muggle world with him since she was certain that was where he was. She had 'seen' some things and she knew that they would find Harry. It was now just a matter of selling Fleur not to turn on them.

"So what do you think we need to do this morning? I think we need to narrow down where we think Harry may be"

"I think that's a wonderful idea but I think that we need to do a bit of shopping first. Like finding one of those things that you said everyone seems to be on. You think they are some sort of communicator? I heard one of the muggleborns talking about something called a celly phoney?" Luna said looking at Fleur for any sort of help but sadly she got none; it seemed that Fleur was just as lost as she was with dealing with muggles.

"Yes, yes shopping" now this Fleur could do. Being one of the more wealthy families in Wizarding France gave her certain liberties none of which she thought she would be able to use in the muggle world. Most of the places that they shopped had an account for them, but in the muggle world nothing like that existed at least not that she knew of.

"Daddy got me something called a card of credits, I'm not 100% sure what it does but he said that his contacts for the Quibbler said I should have one if I was going out into the muggle world for any period of time."

"Oh, what is it called again? Maybe I can get Papa to get me one as well" Fleur really didn't know what she was asking for but she figured that the goblins at Gringotts would know what her father would be talking about when he asked for one.

"Card of credits, here" Luna said before getting up from her seated position on the floor to grab the small bag she had packed before she left. Rooting through the bag had her pulling out a small in descript wallet to which she pulled out a piece of plastic that didn't look to hold any sort of information or do anything special that Fleur could tell.

"That's it?" Fleur thick French accent getting the better of her, even after her summer vacation spent working at the bank in France her English hadn't gotten as good as she would have liked.

"Yes, Daddy said it holds information. I'm not sure how but the muggles find the neatest way to get by without magic" Luna said passing over the piece of plastic her father had given her along with a hug and to be careful and not get caught. She knew that Daddy would be watched for the first little bit after they figured out that she had fled but she figured in time they would grow tired of reading through her Daddy's post to notice when she started writing her father.

"Muggles do have the neatest ways to get by" Fleur agreed before looking the piece of plastic over and noticing that it had a large Gringotts 'G' on the front of it.

"How do you think we can get in touch with the bank? Do you think they have branches here?"

"I wouldthink they would?" Luna said easily enough, she was almost certain that they had branches here, they did after all serve *all* of the wizarding world and contrary to British Wizarding beliefs the world did not revolve around them and their problems. The Dark Lord didn't know the scale of which things worked in the muggle world. There was no way in hell that he would be able to overtake all of the land masses that covered the Earth. At best the man could take over Wizarding Britain but that was about it before he would be put down like so many of the people in the world that thought they could rule the world.

"Where would we find one? It's not like we can just ask someone" Fleur said already frustrated with being outside of her element. What had she been thinking when she had volunteered to go off in search of Harry in the United States of all places? She was hoping to put the Headmaster and his band of merry idiots off any sort of tracks that Harry may have left when he had done his disappearing act. So far though she didn't see how anyone that was muggleborn would be able to function at least with no magic.

"I'm sure a point me spells would work" Luna pointed out to which Fleur had a comeback.

"But following a wand won't look suspicious at all?"

"Well Daddy got me something called a Jeep, P,S?"

"Where does your father get these things and what is wrong with their naming of things?" Fleur by this point was smiling at her partner, she had been told that Luna was a bit nutters when she had arrived to Hogwarts four years ago, but now she was beginning to think that it was them that was nutters. The girl had been placed into Ravenclaw for a reason and she was beginning to see why.

"Daddy has his sources" Luna said mysteriously, she wasn't going to reveal Daddy's sources to Fleur at least not yet. She had to know what side the quarter Veela stood on in regards to Harry and him running for his life.

"So I see" Fleur said watching as Luna pulled something else out of her bag and then showing it to Fleur.

"Well open it up" Fleur said eager to see how muggles found places without a 'point me' spell. Luna quickly unwrapped the device before attempting to turn it on.

"It doesn't work" Fleur said let down, she had thought that Luna was going to be a saving grace on this mission but it seemed even Ravenclaws got stumped from time to time.

"No, Daddy said something about plugging it in. Elect circity? Power that the muggles use to run things"

"Your father sure does know a lot about muggles"

"He has a section in the Quibbler; I know you've heard of it, about muggles and their contraptions that they use to get by without magic. Most think its rubbish but I find most of the facts that Daddy prints to be true." All Fleur could do was nod her head, the girl even knew, she *knew* that people thought she was nutters since her father printed a magazine that had been touted as 'The Crazy Man's Magazine'.

"Where do we 'plug' it in?" Fleur asked wondering if Luna had that right. Plugging something in? That just didn't sound right to her.

"There, this looks like it would fit" Luna said point to an outlet socket on the wall.

"I think we use, oh look a map of how to use the machine" Luna said almost squealing in delight her Daddy would be so proud of her to know that she was fairing much better than her counterpart was in the muggle world.

"Do you know how long it takes? To power up?" Fleur said uncertain on what to call what the machine was doing while 'plugged in'.

"I dunno, I recon at least an hour, you think?" Luna asked it hadn't said anything on the map on how long it would take but it did talk about something called a comuntor, or compotator?

"I think when I return home I will be making an appointment to speak to the headmistress of Baauxbatons about their muggle studies courses" Fleur said not liking how out-to-sea she felt with dealing in the muggle world. She could easily see why more and more pure bloods were siding with the Dark Lord, they just weren't taught the right things and information that they had been given was either incorrect or totally false making it that much harder to function in a world that was much larger than just the wizarding world. Luna said nothing, she had no plans on returning back to the wizarding world so there was no need for her to make an appointment with the old goat that thought he knew what right for the 'greater good' at the expense of its students.

"Well let us go and get clothing we will be in need of those soon enough" Fleur said setting out the game plan for the day. By the time the pair arrived back to the hotel room it was to see that the Jeep, P, S was full charged and seemed to blinking about need to know the destination.

"I think we needed have gotten that compotator" Luna said to Fleur, the women had bonded over shopping for clothing. Luna going as far as saying that she didn't think the war was an effort that Harry should solely be responsible for. She had heard about the story about the man that was before Lord Voldemort and he sounded an awful lot like Harry's background the only difference was that Harry hadn't been shipped off to an orphanage for his summers; no instead Harry went back to a house where everyone hated him for being different. Different was good in Luna's book and she was very willing to drop the one place that she knew to get a new start on life where people didn't think she was nutters for believing in the unknown.

"Let us have dinner and you can tell me more about these creatures that you speak of" Fleur said interested to see how Luna's mind worked. The girl was genius to be sure but there was just something 'off' about her thought process that made Fleur feel as if they girl knew more than what she was willing to tell people.

**~~~~~~~~~~Gringotts Bank; London, England~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Excuse me, excuse me" a goblin said trying to get the attention of the people in the room. They had been called here today to talk about one person, Harry Potter.

"Quiet down you lot" the goblin said when it looked like the group didn't plan on quieting down anytime soon.

"Everyone, everyone" the headmaster called out which seemed to quiet down the few people that were within the private office at the bank.

"Thank you" the goblin said not at all happy with the lack of respect he was getting from these wizards.

"Hmmm" the headmaster said not at all happy with being called here by these creatures about the Potter family vaults and contracts.

"Headmaster" Sirius asked confused on why he was being called here as well. He had already signed and submitted the documents on the betrothal between Ginny and Harry, so he didn't think it dealt with that.

"I don't know my dear boy but I'm sure that the goblins will clear everything up." the headmaster said trying to see if he could figure out why he, along with Sirius Black and the Weasleys were there. He had his ideas but he was going to go putting the Thestral before the carriage.

"If everyone could have a seat" the goblin said not at all happy with being in a room full of red heads, the Weasleys. There was always more of them then there was money in their vaults although recently it seemed they had come into a windfall via Sirius Black and that hadn't sat well with the goblins at all. So they had done some research and they didn't like what they had seen at all. It was the reason on why they were there after all.

"Now you are all probably wondering what has brought you to Gringotts this day" the goblin started out only to have both Ron and Ginny snort at the goblins words, as if they cared but they had been directed by their mother to dress is their best, figuring something important was going to happen. After all you don't get an official request from Gringotts unless there was a very important reason why.

"It has come to our attention that decisions, shall we say, have been made with regards to the Potter family vaults, trust and contracts that are to be executed once Lord Potter confirms said contracts."

"I'm in control of Lord Potter trust!" Sirius piped up, this of course got a glower from the goblin, he so didn't like being interrupted, it usually meant that he would have to repeat himself more than once; something he hated doing.

"No Lord Black, you are not in control of Lord Potter's trust." The goblin snapped at Sirius, he could tell this was going to be a long drawn out meeting and he could already feel the migraine coming.

"What do you mean I'm not in control of Lord Potter's trust?" The goblin sighed, it truly was going to be a long meeting, if they had simply just read the missive they would know what the topic of the meeting was, which was Lord Potter and his trust or control of said trust and contracts place against the trust.

"If you would have read the missive that was sent you would know what we are here to discuss" the goblin said clearly unhappy with the way this conversation was going.

"I have it right here" Sirius said pulling out the envelope that had come via Owl Post yesterday evening while he was dining on a French number that had a thing for tall, dark and handsome; all of which he fit the bill on. It was then that Sirius read the missive out loud so that everyone would know what was written.

"_Lord Sirius Black of the Most Noble house of Black,_

_Your presence is required in regards to Lord Harry James Potter from the Most Noble house of Potter's family trust vaults along with any and all contract set against Lord Potter's person and accounts. It has been noticed by recent activity that unauthorized transactions have occur by you and others against Lord Potter's trust._

_Please report to Gringotts Bank on Friday, November 6__th__ at 8:30 AM._

_Please arrive early so as to not slow the process of inquiry down._

_May your Gold be Bountiful,_

_Gringotts Branch Manager, London, United Kingdom"_

"What do you mean unauthorized? I'm authorized damn it!"

"No Lord Black you are not"

"Harrok is it?" Dumbledore asked trying to see if his goblin was in to take care of this matter. They had sort of been sweeping the withdrawals from Harry's by paying off his own person goblin.

"No, Harrok no longer works for Gringotts bank. I am the branch manager Hyken Lord Dumbledore, you too are also at fault here. You of all are."

"What is that *thing* talking about?"

"I have a name Weasley do well to use it"

"Whatever" Molly said dismissing the goblin who in turn just watched the coming drama wanting to be anywhere but where he was currently, sadly though he had to follow protocol so here he stood delivering the news that they were to pay back all funds withdrawn on behalf of Lord Potter since Lord Potter turned eleven, the age stated in the will of Lord Potter's parents, that Lord Potter would receive full and complete control of the trusts and contracts against the Most Noble house of Potter.

"Albus what is going on? I thought that I was Harry's trust thingy" Sirius said not really in the know of what was the proper wording for what he was, after all he had been disowned the moment his mother saw fit, which thankfully was after her death and not before so he had come into all of the Black family estates and vaults all of which he was using to his full advantage.

"It's called a trust manager" the goblin supplied to Sirius knowing that the other man would disregard what he was saying anyway.

"Yeah that" Sirius said looking at the headmaster and wondering what was really going on. He had been called to the headmaster's office shortly after his formal release to be told that he was Harry trust manager and that they needed to get a betrothal contract drawn up for Harry and Ginny Weasley as soon as possible. He hadn't asked why figuring that Harry would be keen to be a part of the Weasley family but it seemed that the goblins had other ideas on that.

"You are my dear boy" the headmaster said cursing the goblins and their thorough accounting for the heritage vaults.

"No Lord Dumbledore he is not and you have no say in the matter either." Hyken the bank manager told Dumbledore along with the Weasleys and Sirius.

"What is going on Albus?" Arthur asked, he had taken off work to come to the bank only to be told now that their daughter and Harry's betrothal contact was null and void until they could get Harry to agree to such a request.

"I clear miscommunication I'm sure" the headmaster said looking at the goblin and wondering if he would be able to buy this goblin silence or if he had a major problem on his hands to which he would have to have someone clean up.

"Yes a miscommunication" the goblin agreed before Dumbledore showed his triumph.

"See"

"Between the trust manager and you all"

"Then who is the trust manager?" Dumbledore asked, he wanted to know who he needed to buy off to get what he wanted done.

"Why Lord Potter is"

"Since when?" Ron asked, had Harry been sitting on a shit load of money and didn't seem to feel that his family needed compensation for all the crap that they had put up with throughout the school year and even during some of the summers?

"Since age eleven as stated in the Potter's will" the goblin said and he saw the panic that entered Dumbledore's eyes, good it was good to see the almighty Albus Dumbledore in a panic.

"Will? What will? James didn't have a will" Sirius stated proudly, knowing for a fact that James and Lily hadn't done a will.

"There is where you are incorrect Lord Black, the will was registered with the bank on May 1st in the year nineteen hundred and and eighty-two"

"Well that can't be right" Sirius said, he would have been told if they had a will, he was after all James' best man in his wedding to Lily and he had been named godfather for Harry when he had been born. There had been no hesitation when James had named him godfather, what was this goblin talking about?

"It is correct, the will was read on August 1st, nineteen hundred and eighty-two"

"Oh well" Here Sirius piped down, he had already been arrested by that time so someone else would have needed to be there for the will to be executed.

"Well who was here then?"

"All will readings are witnessed by a Ministry official along with at least one bank witness"

"Well who was the extra person?"

"Hugo Hatfield"

"Who?"

"Hugo Hatfield" the goblin repeated, was the group hard of hearing now as well?

"Who the bloody hell is that?" Ron griped before being hit by Molly for his language.

"Hugo Hatfield is a bank representative that is all you need to know" the goblin said loving that the group really seemed to be at a loss as to what was going on.

"Well I'm sure that it wouldn't be an issue to call him in now would it?" the headmaster asked/demanded for Hugo Hatfield to be produced. Hyken could see where this was going and called for someone to go and get Hugo so he could attest to the fact that he had been present for the reading of Lily and James Potter's last will and testament.

Hugo Hatfield was a quiet man, looking very nondescript in features; he was in two words 'utterly forgettable'.

"Hyken" Hugo said as he entered the room and saw some of the most powerful families in the Wizarding world all sitting in the same room.

"Please come in, it seems that these people would like for you to confirm that you were in fact present for the reading of Lily and James Potter's last will and testament."

"Oh, my…..yes if I could have just a moment" the old looking no more than 70 said before leaving and room and coming back with a vial and a pensive.

"Here we are" Hugo said setting the pensive down and then dropping in the memory of the reading of Lily and James' will. Soon enough the memory was playing for all to see and there was no doubt about it Hugo Hatfield had in fact been at the reading of James and Lily's will.

"Is that all?" Hugo asked feeling very uneasy with seeing the Weasleys, Lord Black and Lord Dumbledore all in one room and asking for a memory that he really hadn't seen as all that important at the time.

"Yes, yes that is all" Hyken told Hugo before the man was up and grabbing the pensive and the vial that the memory had been held in.

"Now does that answer your question on who, Hugo Hatfield is?"

"Yes, yes so it seems that the will was read and witnessed" Dumbledore said easily, he would and could get the Ministry of Magic to overturn what the will had said it would just be a matter of making sure he covered his tracks.

"And no the Ministry cannot and will not be able to overturn this" Hyken said watching as Dumbledore's plans were knocked down one at a time.

"Now that we have that all sorted out we need to talk about the gold that you plan to replace from Lord Potter's trust vault along with all contracts being null and void until Lord Potter can review said contracts."

"Albus" Molly said looking at the headmaster waiting for him to pull out some magic card which would allow for the betrothal to go thru even without Harry being present.

"There is nothing that I can do except say that we will need to wait for Harry to return to approve the contract."

"But, but, but…..so what does this mean?" Molly asked, they didn't have the gold to pay back the money that Dumbledore had been given to them for having to deal with Harry and his baggage.

"It means that you owe Lord Potter ten thousand galleons, payable immediately"

"We don't have that kind of money" Arthur said worried they didn't have that kind of money in their vault, they barely had enough to live but with the help of magic they were able to get by with what they had.

"Well I'm sure that we can set up a payment plan for you" Hyken said a shark like smile on his face; he was enjoying this way too much.

"Lord Black you owe Lord Potter five thousand five hundred galleons, payment due immediately. Lord Dumbledore you own Lord Potter seventy-five thousand galleons, payment due immediately."

"How much?" Molly asked enraged at how much more the headmaster was getting than they were?

"I don't think I need to repeat myself. If that is all I will have Griphook come in and set up payment options for you, if need be" the goblin said looking directly at the Weasleys. With that being said the goblin left the room only for another goblin to enter.

"What the bloody just happened?" It was clear to see that Molly Weasley was having a hard time finding out the news about them owing Harry money, if anything she felt as if Harry owed them money not the other way around.

"Molly let's not discuss that right now"

"Then when, because I see us owing Potter money that we don't have"

"Right then" Sirius said deciding then and there that he would just pay the Weasley's portion since he was certain that once they got into contact with Harry that the teen would okay the money and he would get his money back.

"I'll take care of it Molly"

"Oh? You will?" Molly asked she really felt as if Dumbledore should pay their portion since it had been Dumbledore that had given them the money in the first place.

"Of course I will pay it, we will be family once we find Harry and explain the situation to him." At these words Molly piped down considerably. She would soon be more powerful that Lucius Malfoy something that she had always wanted.

"Oh yes, of course" Molly said firmly believing that Harry would change the decision and then once he was married she wouldn't have to worry about money ever again.


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them. They are owned by their mistresses, neither of which is me. No harm, no foul….that's my thought._

_Pairing: HP/EC, PL/?, JB/?_

_Note: I'm not writing Fleur with an accent; just imagine the accent being there. Too many red squiggles for me not to pay attention to._

**~~~~~~~~~~Harry's Car; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~**

"I get that snuggle right? I did after all just make an utter fool of myself for even asking." Edward said to Harry as they rode back to Harry's house. It had taken a placed phone call to Esme for her to dismiss Edward for the rest of the day. Since Harry was of age he just told administration that he wasn't feeling well and was going home for the day. They hadn't fought with him; he was after all of age.

"I think a snuggle can be arranged" Harry said a smile on his face. This just felt so right, granted he was still angry at the Cullens for making him leave but they were well on their way to the right track of being forgiven.

"Now where were we?" Edward said trying to throw Harry off track so that he wouldn't continue on with his story. He knew more than enough and when he found these people, and he fully planned on finding them he was going to make sure that each and every one of them felt the pain that his mate had felt. He had learned some interesting way to kill a person when he had gone on his 'human spree' as he and Carlisle referred to it as.

"I think there was some discussion about a ring" Harry said wondering what sort of ring Edward was going to provide.

"Ah yes that" Edward said before pulling out a small teal blue Tiffany's jewelry pouch after they had arrived to Harry house and made it inside.

"I hope you didn't get my ring there that is much too expensive"

"Harry we have more money than we know what to do with. Emmett is actually an amazing stock broker so we are always getting dividends." Edward still didn't see where Emmett got the enjoyment while he did stock trading, but the man was excellent at it so they were never at a loss for money.

"Edward" Harry said not at all happy with the response he had gotten back from Edward.

"Harry don't worry about it, I would go to a diamond mine in Africa to find the biggest diamond I could for you. You complete me, and I want only the best for my mate."

"Edward that still doesn't mean that you spend all your money on me" Harry said still uncomfortable with the amount of money that Edward and his family always spent on him. He had never had his Aunt and Uncle buy him anything and when he was in the wizarding world be bought things which galleons from his vault at Gringotts, now though the Cullen coven had always spent money on his acting as if was no big deal to have the money that was spent on him by the Cullens.

"We have plenty and I didn't buy from there just had something fixed." Edward said telling a small white lie to Harry.

"Why do I not believe you?"

"Harry please let me have this" Edward said while pulling out an amazing looking bracelet.

"I'm supposed to wear that?" Harry said stunned at the beauty of the bracelet. I was done in platinum with three rows of small diamonds, and by small Harry thought they looked to be half a carat each and then in the center a larger diamond that looked to be pushing three or four carats. The bracelet was huge and Harry knew that it would stick out like a sore thumb while they were at school.

"Well yes you are" Edward said confused, he didn't get what the big deal was. Harry on the other hand was hyperventilating over the bracelet that was to be his engagement ring.

"Harry, Harry…..Harry!" Edward shouted before Harry showed him that he was in an all-out panic attack, something that had become few and far between since Harry and the Cullens became friends.

"I hope this works" Edward said pulling Harry into a cool embrace and then he began to nibble on Harry's neck trying and successfully getting Harry's thoughts away from what sort of reaction he would get with the bracelet to the amazing feelings his mate was providing him with.

"Edward….oooh Edward" Harry said after about a minute or two in Edward's arms.

"Better"

"Better, but that still doesn't mean I am going to wear that, it's too much"

"Nothing is ever too much Harry"

"But I'm just a freak" and it was here that Edward sort of finally understood how badly that Harry had, had it at his Aunt's and Uncle's house for the first ten years of his life.

"No, never a freak" Edward said before pulling Harry into a kiss. He wanted to show his little mate how much he was worth to him for he knew he would truly be lost without Harry by his side.

"Not a freak?" Harry whispered after he got his emotions under control. Gods he was a right mess and it seemed that Edward was going to stay by his side even with all the issues that he had.

"Not a freak now let me put this on you"

"But what about P.E.?"

"Wear it with pride, for I am proud to call you my mate" Edward said with such conviction that it made Harry well up with tears.

"I love you" Harry said once the bracelet was on and he had admired it for a moment. It looked so right on his wrist that he didn't even think that he would take it off even in P.E.

"And I love you, now come on I want that snuggle now" Edward said pulling Harry towards the small teen's bedroom. It was as they started their journey that Edward's cell phone went off letting him know that Alice or one of the coven members was calling, after all who else had his phone number with the exception of Harry?

"Alice" Edward said before listening to what Alice had to say, a frown on Edwards face at the words that Alice spoke about.

"Edward" Harry asked fearing the worst as it always seems to be the case when he is involved.

"Okay, I'll let him know" Edward said before hanging up the phone and looking down to Harry who looked ready to run.

"Alice wants to know do you know two blonde haired women?"

"In town? No" Harry said fearing that his worst nightmare was about to come true. Dumbledore had finally found him.

"No, in your life before you came here"

"Two blondes? No" Harry said drawing a blank on who it could be that had or would find him. He would take them out if need be but he was going to have to wait and see since the only blonde haired person he could think of was Draco Malfoy and Draco Malfoy was definitely not a woman.

"Are you sure, Alice said she saw to blonde haired woman talking to you in the coming days."

"Certain, well…there is Luna" Harry said remembering the quirky girl that everyone made fun of while at Hogwarts. The only issue was that Luna should be at Hogwarts and not running around trying to find him. Something else was at play here and he didn't quite know what it was at the moment and it sounded like Dumbledore had his name written all over this one.

"Luna"

"Luna" Harry said and that about summed up Luna; she was Luna just as he was Harry to him. They had, had an interesting relationship while they had both been at Hogwarts. Always seemingly finding each other in the Forbidden Forest near where Hagrid kept the Thestrals at, both basking in the silent understanding that the pair had since he had met the younger girl during his ride to Hogwarts in his fifth there. The girl was odd to be sure but Harry hadn't minded as much as Ron and Hermione did, having to on occasion defend Luna when the girl wouldn't fight back. That of course then either got Ron or Hermione in a state that had the pair usually walking away from the scene.

"Is she a threat and who is with her?"

"I don't think she is but whoever is with her might be. Alice said two women with blonde hair?" Harry said while trying to figure out who the second blonde was that he seemed to know.

"Yes two, they are set to arrive sometime next week and only on a hunch" Edward repeated back to Harry what Alice had told him. The only reason she had seen it was because of their connection to Harry. Harry let out a sigh, and so his peace that he thought had found in Forks was gone.

"We will just have to deal with them when they arrive here. I don't think that Luna would be of any trouble but I can't be certain on that until I talk to her."

"Then we wait and see." Edward said and no sooner than he had gotten off his cell that it was ringing again this time with the last person she wanted to have calling him while he was with Harry.

"Bella" this made Harry turn and look at Edward, something just wasn't right about the girl and it was becoming more and more noticeable to Harry. Whatever she had done to get those trinkets had rattled her brain.

"Don't worry about why I'm not at school" Edward said amazed that the girl had noticed that wasn't at school any longer.

"No I hadn't planned on getting a ride home with you today or for that matter ever again." Edward said confused on how Bella seemed so stuck on the pair of them going out still. He had figured that once he had broken things off with her that she would go running to that 'dog' on the reservation. Oddly enough though the girl hadn't moved onto Jacob and now here he stood with his mate's hand in one of his and listening to Bella whine about how he wasn't at school to walk her to her next class.

"No Bella" Edward said before hanging up the phone on the on the girl. He didn't want to deal with her anymore and he was just tired of her popping up all the time now. He was quite glad that he hadn't taken Bella to their house or he figured she would show up there and try to gain entry into his room something that gave him goose pimples on the back of his neck thinking about.

"I don't think that she is all there" Harry offered up to Edward, there was just something that wasn't adding all up with her.

"I think I'm going to have to agree with you on that, do you think it has something to do with the trinkets that I left with you?"

"I think it might"

"Did you figure anything out about them?" Edward asked curious to know what Harry had found out about the trinkets that he had given to Harry.

"I will have to go back over to the reservation to see if me and medicine man can figure out what to do with them. If the trinkets have Magix on it then we will have to be very careful about how to destroy them."

"Are you going tonight?" Edward asked he didn't want Harry to go to the reservation tonight since he wanted to spend the night with Harry again. Now that he had his little mate he didn't want to ever let go.

"I think so, that way I don't have to bother the medicine man on his busiest days" Harry said, he could already tell that Edward didn't like the idea of him going to the reservation tonight.

"Okay, you will come back though right?"

"Oh of course, you can stay here until I return home if you want." Harry offered up, he would make it a point to return home for the night if he knew that Edward would be waiting for him to come home, then again if things went south he would stay the night wanting to make sure that the medicine man wasn't let alone with the items for too long. Edward agreed to it, before the pair spent the rest of the in Harry's bed talking about any and everything. They may have been friends before but there were still things that they didn't know about each other.

**~~~~~~~~~~Aplyse Cottage; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~~**

"Well did you find it?"

"Well yeah of course I found it"

"Well hand it over this potion won't make itself."

"I still can't believe you let Acacia go into town." A girl that looked no older than eighteen said, she wasn't happy at all that her sister got to go into town this time around. She was usually the one that went and found the people to peddle their potions on, but this time her mother was adamant that her sister go this time.

"Quit pouting and bring your ass over here to help, don't worry about what I let your sister do or not do." Mora told her daughter, she wasn't happy with her right now; it seems that even the smallest of tasks her daughter couldn't do.

"Yes, ma'am" Yenene said to her mother before making her way towards where her mother stood stirring a cauldron full of ingredients.

"Here chop these and once you are done with that shred these" Mora said while shaking her head. It was a wonder that the girl made it through high school and some junior college with the way that she was acting right now. Mora made sure that Acacia was doing the correct thing and then went back to stirring the contents of the cauldron. She had been guided to make more of the love potion that she is most known for, the one that Bella Swan was in such desperate need of at the moment.

**~~~~~~~~~A Work In Progress & Café Paix; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~~~**

"I can't believe Edward" Bella Swan said as she sat at a table with the laptop that could be checked out when a customer needed to use the internet and didn't have access to it.

"Can't believe what dear?" a woman asked Bella who jumped as someone talking to her, she had been in her own little world since she had arrived to the Café to use the laptop.

"Oh" Bella jumped in her chair. She had been too busy ranting to notice that a good majority of the café had been watching her since she came into the shop/café.

"Oh nothing, nothing" Bella said quickly not really wanting to talk to some stranger about her problems with Edward and him spending entirely way too much time with Harry Griffin of all people.

"Ah, well then" the woman said before she tossed out the line that would pull the girl in.

"Nothing that a…shall we say potion won't fix huh?" This had Bella's attention immediately, this woman wasn't the old crone that she was looking for but it seemed that the woman did know someone who would make a potion for her.

"Potion? You know someone that can make a potion?" Bella said forgetting for the moment the laptop sitting in front of her. She had been searching for quote, unquote a witch to help her make that love potion that she so desperately needed but had been very unsuccessful finding anyone close by that considered themselves a witch on the internet.

"Possibly" the woman said glaring at the people that seemed to be watching the pair of them.

"May I take a seat?" The woman asked before Bella nodded her head in response.

"Excellent, excellent" the woman said smiling at the fact that it had been so easy to hook Bella for a potion. Was this what her sister did when her mother sent her out to get orders?

"So what's this about a potion?" Bella shot at the woman after she had taken a seat at the table.

"My mother is a well-known potion maker in these parts" Acacia told Bella who seemed most eager to hear about her mother and the potion that she could make for the girl. After all it was just a matter of money that she would be able to get what she desired, never mind that her mother would get what she wanted.

"Well I got a potion from a lady once"

"Oh, that's probably my mother" Acacia told Bella, who now had a smile on her face. Oh she would get Edward back and once she had him where she wanted him only then would she accept him back.

"Now what is it that you need a potion for?" Acacia asked Bella who was more than willing to tell Acacia her story.

"Well I was dating a guy here in town and well, I used the potion to make sure that his eyes didn't wander if you know what I mean. But it seemed that I ran out of the potion and as soon as I did he dumped me and then starting hanging back out with some 'boy' that always seems to be around the family."

"Hmmm, sounds like something my mother helped you with before. How about you meet me tomorrow here at about one o'clock?"

"Sure, sure. I need to go grocery shopping anyway so I can do that afterwards." Bella said before the woman was up and out of the café with no one none the wiser.

"Perfect, just perfect!" Bella said before opening up a web browser and then searching Tiffany's website for jewelry that she wanted Edward to buy her, because he would need to buy her a lot of jewelry and clothes before she took him back. Granted his family probably won't like it much but they would have to either learn to like her or Edward would just have to stop interacting with them.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Harry's House; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Edward I have to go to the grocer" Harry said from where his head was resting on Edward's semi-cool chest. The potion that he had given the Cullens seemed to be wearing off which meant that Edward's body wasn't as warm as it used to be.

"I'm sure that Esme would be more than willing to make you some dinners to keep around." Edward said not really liking the idea of going into town, there was the very real possibility that Bella would be in town and he was to avoid the girl as much as possible.

"I'm sure she would but that will only last so long with Paul in the house."

"His roof still isn't fixed?"

"No, I haven't had the chance to fix it." Harry said not noticing the tone that Edward had used when asked about Paul and his house.

"You? fix it?" Edward asked confused, it wasn't that hard to fix a roof and what could Harry do to help with the process?

"Yeah, you know magic and all that" Harry said shooting Edward a look and wondering just what the other teen was thinking. He could tell this was going somewhere he just didn't know what yet.

"Oh well" Edward said biting his tongue at the nasty retort he wanted to say.

"I can tell you have something to say Edward, so say it." Harry said getting a bit defensive, just because he was sort of back in his life didn't mean that he had the right to critique people on what they have or haven't done.

"He can fix it on his own" there Edward had said it, he knew that Harry wouldn't like his answer but he didn't like the idea of his mortal mate being on a roof when there were plenty of 'dogs' to do it for him.

"Yes I know that but I offered to help and I'm not going to break my promise."

"I can understand that Harry but you could get hurt." Edward tried to explain to his little mate. Until he was turned he was very unwilling to have him do anything that should result in him getting hurt or killed.

"Yes I understand that Edward but that doesn't mean that I can break my promises because you are uncomfortable with what I'm doing."

"Harry"

"No Edward. Paul's roof, the stuff on the reservation? That is the least of my concerns. I have two wizards out for my life and there is the very real possibility that I may not make it."

"Of course you will, you're stronger and better than them."

"Edward"

"No, you have to know that we won't allow them to control you. If we have to we will turn you. I will turn you."

"Don't do that Edward" Harry said, he didn't want Edward to promise something like that. He wouldn't allow the Cullens to break the treaty with the wolves because of him. He wasn't worth that much; at least he didn't think so.

"Harry, I will do all in my power to keep you by my side and if that means turning you then I will."

"Edward, I'm not worth that much?"

"So you're saying that my love for you isn't worth much? Harry please understand that you are my everything."

"Until recently I was nothing to you"

"Are we going to get into a fight about this? Harry just know that I love you and that my love will carry until it can carry no more." Harry sighed there was no use to talking the vampire out of turning him.

"Fine, but before you do anything you must speak to Carlisle and the pack. I want them aware of this; I won't be changed without them knowing. They deserve to know." Harry said not at all happy with the idea of Edward turning him. He could only hope that Carlisle or the pack would be able to talk him out of what he thought he was going to do.

"Thank you" Edward said before pulling Harry into a kiss. He just couldn't imagine the idea of losing Harry if he didn't have to. Granted the Volturi would probably find out and would call them for a gloat session but Edward was certain that the rest of the family would think Harry was worth every bit of trouble they would get from the Volturi.

"I need to go to the grocer" Harry said, wanting to change the subject away from him being turned by Edward or any member of the coven to lighter topics.

"Well then we go to the grocer" Edward agreed, hopefully Bella wouldn't be in town and so he wouldn't have to deal with her.

"I'm driving though" Edward said to which he got a glare from Harry. Harry absolutely hated when Edward drove to the grocer, the last time he had let Edward drive half of the contents had ended up on the floor of the car. Edward hadn't anticipated the traffic accident that they came upon on the way back from the local grocer which then had him slamming on the breaks to the car.

"No you aren't"

"Edward don't fight me on this"

"No, don't you fight me on this" by this time Harry had a smile on his face.

"Fine, but you drive like a Grandma."

"I may drive like a Grandma but at least I can get everyone to the location without the fear of death."

"It's the Grandmas you have to worry about" Edward said grabbing the keys as they had been fighting since they had gotten out of bed.

"Ha, ha Edward" Harry said standing by the passenger's side of the car.

"I can only hope that Swan isn't around" Harry said speaking the thoughts that Edward had been having.

"I must agree with you there." Edward owned up to, he really didn't want to deal with Bella and the drama that she seemed to bring with her now.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~A Work In Progress & Café Paix; Forks, Washington~~~~~~~~~**

Bella watched as Harry's car made its way down the main street of Forks as she sat at a table near the large open window that faced the main street to Forks. What she saw made her blood boil, which was Edward seemed to be still driving Harry's car and was now rubbing that fact in.

"Griffin and is that Edward driving that, that freak's car?" Bella said noticing that the car stopped a few buildings down at the local grocer.

"Can't Griffin stay away from what is mine, mine I say" Bella mumbled to herself, now though she would attempt to break up the pair but she knew that if she planned to get Edward back she was going to need the help of the old crone that originally sold her the potion to begin with.


	24. Chapter 24

_When Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them. They are owned by their mistresses, neither of which is me. No harm, no foul….that's my thought._

_Pairing: HP/EC, PL/?, JB/?_

_Note: I'm not writing Fleur with an accent; just imagine the accent being there. Too many red squiggles for me not to pay attention to._

_**Author Update: Sorry for the delay in getting this out, it seemed that Fate was playing with me and making sure that I didn't get this out when I wanted to.**_

**~~~~~~~~~Hard Rain Café & Mercantile~~~~~~~**

"What are you doing here? Or specifically what are you doing here with Edward?" Bella said stomping into the door and going to the aisle where Harry currently was standing looking at a loaf of bread.

"You won't win don't you realize that? Edward is mine, and it would do you well to remember that. Nothing that you do will keep him, I have my ways." Bella said smug that she would soon have Edward back where he needed to be which was by her side.

"Bella" Edward said walking up behind her catching the spiteful words that she was throwing at Harry. Bella face drained of color at hearing Edward's voice. She was in the hot seat now, she hadn't planned on being caught but it seemed that she had. Now she needed to do damage control.

"Edward" Bella said spinning around and plastering on a smile, hoping that Edward would realize that her words were true about Harry. He really had no chance with Edward, once she got some more of the potion that she required. Bella couldn't wait for Saturday to come soon enough, which was only a few hours away.

"Apologize" Edward said crossing his arms across his chest, looking everything that vampires were painted to be. It made Bella hot under the collar, although she didn't know that Edward was in 'alpha vampire mode'. Harry on the other hand was totally embarrassed, he could fight his own battles but it seemed that Edward had different ideas.

"Edward" Bella whined acting as if they were still going out.

"Apologize" Edward said again this time staring directly at Bella, knowing that he was making her very uncomfortable if the flushed face was anything to go by.

"Edward" Bella whined once again, instead of sticking around Harry grabbed two loafs of bread and made his way as quietly as possible away from the scene.

"Apologize" Edward said before pinching the bridge of his nose, a very human movement that he need not do.

"Fine" Bella huffed before turning around and seeing that Harry was no longer in the aisle ahead of her.

"Where'd he go?" Bella said not at all happy with the ways things were going with Edward.

"Harry" Edward called out multiple times before he heard Harry whisper that he didn't want to be close to Bella and to just let her go on her way.

"Well where is he?" Bella asked Edward to which she got glare from Edward that normally wouldn't happen.

"Just go" Edward said attempting to get rid of Bella now that Harry had said he didn't want to be bothered with the girl.

"No, no…I want to apologize" Bella said sneering at Edward, she just didn't see what made Harry special but she knew that she was going have to show both Edward and his family of that fact and once they realized that Harry as nothing special they would welcome her with open arms.

"No, just go"

"Bella" Jessica called from the door. This made Bella want to scream, couldn't things just work out for once in her favor?

"Jessica" Bella said spinning around and giving the girl a fake smile.

"Mike and the rest are going to the beach before the game, you want to come?" Jessica asked, she had stopped into the store to grab a water when she saw Bella standing with her back towards the door with Edward besides her.

"Oh, sure" Bella said knowing that there was no way to get out of going unless she wanted to tell a lie about how her dad was sick or something and she didn't see that happening.

"Oh great then" Jessica said before grabbing a water from the refrigerator case and making her way towards the check out.

"Edward" Bella said while Jessica got her water, only to see where Edward used to stand was nothing but air. Bella stomped her foot, he had gotten away from her before she could even ask him to go to the beach with them.

"Ready?" Jessica asked looking at Bella bit funny. Something was really going with her and for the life of Jessica she could figure out what it was.

"Yeah, yeah. Did you see where Edward went?"

"Nope can't say that I can" Jessica said now standing back at the door waiting for Bella to make her way towards where Jessica now stood.

"Let's get going. Mike has to leave early so do you by any chance have your truck with you?"

"Yeah"

"Oh you should bring it to the beach."

"Okay, sure" Bella was not at all happy. First she sees Edward driving Griffin's car, then Griffin ends up disappearing on her before she could say anything more to him and then Edward catches her in the act of cutting Harry down to size, which wasn't very big to begin with and now the thing that made her want to pull her hair out was the fact that she had, had Edward but Jessica seemed to help him disappear.

Meanwhile Harry and Edward hung out in a back corner of the store making sure that Jessica and especially Bella didn't see them. He hadn't thought that while out he would run into the possibility of having to deal with Bella, Harry had just plain forgotten if he was honest. It was so nice being with Edward that he had forgotten the situation at hand. Harry had forgotten that he wasn't a normal teen in Forks that had normal things to deal with, no he had two men out for his blood while a godfather that wanted him to be a good little 'James Jr.' and follow in his father's footsteps.

"You okay?" Edward asked Harry, he could tell that his mate was shaken up but for some reason he couldn't seem to figure out what it was that had made his mate change so drastically.

"No, no I'm not." Harry told Edward honestly, he wasn't okay. It would only take one person to bring down the whole mirage that he had painted for the town of being an orphaned yet rich and of age teenager that felt that he needed to finish his education in the U.S. instead of in the United Kingdom. The town's people had lapped it up when he had sold the story and for one of 'them' as he began calling them to come and disassemble the whole spider wed of tales about his time while at Hogwarts and his time in primary school, with no mention of the lack thereof a parental figure in his past. His web looked more like that of a fishing net of thin yet flexible fishing line more than that of a real spider web. The hat may have wanted to put him in Slytherin but there were some things that he would never be good at and one of them would be falsifying certain information that should people ask for he would be unable to produce. He sadly was no Lucius Malfoy and had no Ministry Officials at his beck-and-call to make papers should he require them. People were bound to ask and he knew that if too many did at one time his net could and would fall apart or worse yet have the two meet each other something that Harry didn't think anyone would benefit from that be that wizard, vampire, or muggle alike.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked as he heard Bella heavy breathing as if she was waiting for him to show up for some reason. Edward didn't plan to show his face until he could calm Harry down and he didn't see that happening within the next few minute which is what Bella was probably hoping would happen.

"One wrong move, just one and everything could be gone. You. Me. Everything. Gone."

"Harry you have to know that my family and I will fight until the death to make sure that you are protected from those that seek to do you harm even if that is Bella Swann and/or the wizards that are looking for you." Edward told his mate. He knew that pretty words would do nothing to alleviate the fears that Harry had against Wizarding Great Britain coming and finding him and sending him back out into a battle and onto a battlefield that he was wholly unprepared for but it was nice to see that Edward truly did seem to care.

"They'll take you too and think nothing of it. Once they find out that you and the rest of your family have powers they will use you all in any way possible to get what they want and if that if that means me defeating the Dark Lord then so be it." Edward just stared at Harry, how these people could stoop so low as to try and get Harry to do their bidding just by promising hardships to those that he cared about?

"Harry"

"No, you don't understand. I can't let them do that to you, I won't allow them to do that to you. They will use you until you aren't of value anymore and they will make sure you aren't of value as soon as possible." Harry worried what the old man and the Order would do to the vampires once they had been found out. He didn't think that the old man would be as lenient as he had been with Lupin, but that was because he was a student at the time.

"Well they won't win, not this time and not ever" Edward said a determined look on his face, there was just no way that he was going to let go of his mate now that he had him, even with Bella and her scheme's.

"Edward there are only a couple of a different ways to make sure that I am protected against them and none of them I see you or your family being able to do."

"Harry…." Edward was cut off by Bella it seemed that the girl had gotten tired of waiting for him and so she had begun to call out his name with the hope that Edward wouldn't like the attention that she was no doubt bringing to the vampire that was in the small store.

"Edward" Bella called out again and then waited as if expecting Edward to come at the call of his name but instead Edward sighed at the voice that was calling out his name. It was like the pair of them could never get a break it seemed, but Edward had a plan and he was certain that Carlisle along with the rest of the coven would be willing to go along with the plan, but the major sticking point would be the wolves but Edward figured after some explaining to the pack they would allow for this one exception.

"Just go, I'll finish up here and we can meet up at the car in about thirty minutes or so" Harry knew that Bella wouldn't give up until she had her time with Edward even if it was only to hear from Edward once again that they were no longer together she would take it.

"No that is exactly what she wants to happen. I show up alone and she will assume that I have ditched you to be with her and then she will figure that I am going to the beach with them, even though I don't plan on it and can't since it is in La Push territory." Edward looked at Harry and realized that he was actually right; Bella would do nearly anything to make it look like they were back together.

"Edward" Bella called out one more time, she only had a limited amount of time to get Edward to show up and be on her arm before they made their way to the beach. She so didn't want to go but she figured that she could get some alone time with Edward, it would make for the perfect rumor mill material. Edward and Bella, back on? This would be perfect material to set her plan into motion. She would meet with the old lady tomorrow and get the trinkets and from there she would start to dose Edward and soon things would be the way that they should have been to begin with. That being; she on Edward's arm and Harry Griffin back out of the picture as he should have been in the first place.

"Bella are you coming?" Jessica asked from the doorway, she had figured that Bella was right behind her when she had left the store but it seemed she had been incorrect in that assumption.

"Yeah, yeah….right behind you" Bella said her eyes doing one final sweep of the small store to see if she could find Edward or at the very least Harry since that meant that meant that Edward wouldn't be far behind.

"Well come on!" Jessica said knowing that Mike would leave her if she didn't hurry up, although if Mike knew that Bella was coming he would wait all day, something that bothered her to no end. They were always on again, off again but if it ever came down to it she knew that Mike would in the end choose Bella over her any day of the week.

"Okay, okay…..here I come" Bella said finally giving up on trying to get a chance to talk to Edward before heading off to the beach with Jessica and the rest of the crew.

"She and Jessica are gone" Edwards said once the smell of Jessica's low-quality perfume along with Bella's heavy breathing left the shop.

"Will she ever give up?" Harry asked, he already knew the answer but had hoped that at some point in time Bella would give up the idea of she and that she and Edward a give up the perfect couple in Forks.

"You already know the answer to that Harry" Edward said before peeking out of the window and watching as Bella's truck followed Jessica's car and Mike's truck.

"Harry, let's get you and these groceries home before Jessica or Bella see you and or me going back to your house." Edward said before they had their way to the checkout and then outdoors to where the old women of Forks were seated watching the town for any new rumors that they could start.

"Young Cullen? Is that you? I thought you'd be at the beach with Bella?"

"No I hadn't planned on going to the beach with Bella."

"She seemed almost certain that you would be going to the beach with them."

"Rest assured I will not be going to the beach with them."

"Why not?"

"Edward" Harry whispered, he wasn't too sure on why Edward was spending his time explaining why he was or wasn't going to the beach with Bella to the old women of Forks but he really didn't see the need for Edward to as nice as he was being.

"If you'll excuse us" Edward said as he took a step back and guided Harry along to where his mini was parked waiting for the pair of them to load up the groceries that had been purchased just moments before.

"Oh my look at the time. I hadn't realized how late it had become, I have bridge club to get ready for."

"Then please let us not delayed any further" Edward said to the group of women that were sitting outside watching the town.

"Edward" Harry said he wasn't really sure what was going on but it seemed almost as if the women of the town were looking for some sort of information about Bella and Edward's relationship or lack thereof one.

"Just get in the car Harry please" Edward said to Harry as he finished loading up the groceries in the trunk of the car, Edward made his way to the driver side of the car. The old women watched as Edward backed up the car and took off out of town towards where Harry lived, it was noticeable that the women were watching as they had all stood up and were watching the car as it sped off as usual when Edward was driving.

"It seems as if Bella has the whole town wrapped around her little finger. What I don't seem to understand is why she continues her quest of being the next Mrs. Cullen."

"Edward, you're perfect in every way, you're what every girl wants, and what every guy wants to be. You know that, your whole family knows that you all are perfect. Vampires you may be but you still are what humans consider the perfect person." Harry said to Edward blushing bright red as he spoke, he knew that Edward would probably make fun of him later for his words but he knew that they needed to have been said. Bella would never stop in this plan that she had in her mind that she and Edward were to be together, the perfect couple living the perfect life.

"Perfect?" Edward said giving Harry a sidelong glance. Did his mate actually think he was perfect? Edward knew better than to push Harry. The small teen was very shy about the words that he spoke when he did speak. Edward got no response from his mate, which answered the question that he had just asked. The rest of the ride was made with idle chitchat about either school and/or the going ons in the town.

Edward pulled into the covered parking spot, and then began to unload the trunk of the car of the groceries that had been purchased in town. Harry on the other hand stood there and watched in wonder, how Edward could do such a human thing and yet not needing one item inside the bags that he carried.

"Well come on this stuff up put itself away" Edward said to Harry, this got Harry moving to the inside of the house and into the kitchen. Once inside Harry made quick work of emptying the bags and Edward watched his mate move about the kitchen in an efficient manner.

Edward wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day with his mate, but there are plans to be made and details to be ironed out. Edward had a feeling that the magical world was coming to find his mate a lot sooner than either he or his mate thought.

"You have to go?" Harry to Edward, he could see and the vampire's eyes he had business to attend to and it wasn't at his home.

"Yes, but only for a short while." Edward told Harry, Edward hated to leave Harry alone especially without one of the shape shifting werewolves nearby for protection. After all Harry was still a mortal, even if he did have magic.

"If you have to go, go. I'll be fine on my own" Harry told Edward, there was no need for the vampire to worry so much about whether or not he was protected. In Harry's mind he was far enough away from England and the fight with Voldemort that he need not any more protection than what he could do himself.

"So you say, but trouble has a way of finding you no matter what" Edward told Harry with a laugh, it was true enough. Harry always seemed to find trouble where no trouble had been before even before his move to Forks, his years at Hogwarts left little to the imagination of what a child could do and would do for the thought of being part of something.

"So it does" Harry agreed with Edward.

"Are you running back or are you taking my car?" Harry asked, and a grin lit up Edward's face at the idea of running through the forest back to his home.

"Running" Edward said before making his way over to Harry and pulling his mate into a kiss of promise. When the pair pulled away, Harry's face was flush while Edward's eyes sparkled in amber color that hadn't been seen before in the vampire's eyes.

"I shall see you later" Edward said before leaving out the door of Harry's house to the forest that lay behind Harry's home. Harry watched as Edward ran into the forest, Harry wondered if there would ever be a chance at being by Edward's side for eternity. Fate always had a way of messing with his life, creating more havoc than normal and something like this would be par for the course in his life. Harry shook himself out of the daze that he had been in and made his way into the living room where the keys to his car sat waiting for him. He had promised the medicine man that he would go and help figure out what exactly was on the trinkets that had been given to Edward from Bella and how to destroy them if there was a way to even do that with the magic that may be on the items.

"I'm sure he won't mind if I'm gone for just a little while" Harry said to the empty house as he made his way back outside to where his car sat waiting for him. Harry made quick work of making his way to the La Push Reservation, Harry was welcomed with smiles and waves as he made his way towards the medicine man's home. It seems that the whole reservation had brightened in some manner by the little bit of help that he had given to them already.

"Harry" the medicine man greeted the young teen, he had been waiting for the other to show up but was uncertain on if the vampires would allow Harry to venture onto the reservation land or not.

"Jonathan" Harry greeted the old man with, he had felt uncomfortable with calling the man by his first name due to his age but the other man would have it no other way. The older man felt that Harry was his equal when dealing with magics.

"May we get started?" Jonathan asked Harry, he had spent the better part of the day trying to figure out what it was that Mora and her daughters had done to these trinkets that made them as powerful as they were but had come up with nothing, it seemed that whatever it was that Mora was dealing with was outside of his scope magic that he knew.

"Did you find anything?" Harry asked, he knew that the medicine man would only know so much and if Mora truly was the creator of these trinkets, she knew much more than just Native American magic she knew a dark magic that many would say was dead or forgotten, only rising up for those that knew how to call it and had the proper payment for the benefit that they would get from the magic.

"Not anything of value" Jonathan said as the pair of them walked into the house, Jonathan's wife on the other hand was busy in the kitchen making dinner for the pair of them. As the pair of them made their way through the home Harry began to feel more and more ill at ease; it must have something to do with the trinkets and their powers. Jonathan opened the door to his work room and the feeling only intensified as Harry got closer to the trinkets.

"I think destruction is the best course of action for these items." Jonathan told Harry, he had spent a good portion of his day and night trying to figure out how Mora wove her spells and potions together to create the items that she had given to Bella for Edward, but he had been unable to figure anything out. This was magic beyond anything that he had ever seen or dealt with. So he had hoped that Harry would come and together they would be able to destroy the trinkets with little to no backlash from the magic that had created the items.

"I must agree" Harry said, and it was then that he had gotten close enough to the table where the trinkets lay in a ray of sunshine looking like items that any person could pick up at a garage sale, swap meet and/or yard sale; no one knowing the true power that these items had besides their Creator, their giver, their receiver, and finally their destroyers.

"Do you have any ideas on how to destroy them?" Jonathan asked Harry, the old man couldn't figure out a way to destroy the trinkets without invoking some sort of wrath from the magic that Mora worked with of that much he knew. Jonathan could tell that the magic that lay on the trinket was old magic, magic that only a few probably had the ability to deal with it properly and he knew that Mora wasn't one of them. It would only be a matter of time before the magic came calling to collect from the woman herself for the amount of dealing she had been doing with the magic.

"I have a few ideas" Harry said, he had spent most of his day at school thinking of ways of destroying the items that Bella had given Edward. Many of his ideas required the use of his wand an item that he wanted to use as little as possible; after all he did have two people after him and he knew that if he used his wand it would alert the Ministry of Magic along with Dumbledore and probably Voldemort to his current location. That was why he tried to use wandless magic as much as he could.

"Well we better get started then" Jonathan told Harry and it was then that the door closed to the shop and the destruction of the trinkets began. Hours later the pair surface with smiles on their face and the intense Magix that had filled the air before had cleared. It was almost as if a cloud that had been obscuring the sun had now vanished and in its place was the bright sun shining down with its full power.

"Stay for dinner?" Jonathan asked Harry, he knew his wife had cooked more than enough for the pair of them.

"No, a better head home; another time though" Harry said looking at the time and realizing how late it was, he hadn't meant to spend that much time at the reservation but it seemed that once you started destroying the trinkets there was no stopping it.

"I understand" Jonathan said to Harry, he knew what Harry wasn't saying and that was that Edward and probably a few vampires would be in the area in and around Harry's house. It was then that Harry got into his car and began rethinking all that they had to do to destroy the trinkets that Bella had given to Edward. Some serious Magix was at play and Harry wasn't too sure that he would be able to continue to destroy the items without the Magix taking notice of it. Harry pulled up to his house to see Edward's Volvo sitting in the driveway while the lights were on in the house. It brought a smile to Harry's face, he knew that Edward would probably be livid with him, but he had to know what he was up against in the fight to keep Edward and that was what it would boil down to, a fight between him and his magic and Bella and the magic that she bought from Mora.

No sooner had Harry stepped out of the car did the door open and Edward made his way towards Harry a look of worry on his face.

"Where….." Edward need not finish his sentence since the smell of wolf was coming off of Harry.

"You could have called" Edward chastised Harry, he had been planning with the rest of the coven when Alice stated that Harry had gone from her vision, which meant that he had gone into La Push territory.

"I didn't think it would take as long as it did, Swan has no idea what she is messing with of that much I do know. She may think these harmless yet effective charms to get and keep your affection and attention but the magic wrapped around those items is something that is darker then the magic than even the Dark Lord is dealing with." Harry told Edward, he hadn't wanted to play hero and try to save people from their own stupidity but it seemed that Fate had dealt her hand and that was to be Harry's role in one way or another.

"But did you get rid of them?" Edward asked, he hoped that Harry and the medicine man on the reservation had destroyed that items that way Harry wouldn't need to go back to the reservation for the duration of the weekend after all a good portion of the plan he had in place depended on Harry spending the weekend with them and not at the reservation. Esme and the rest were busy at the house now putting his plans into effect all he needed to do was bring his mate back home and the plan could begin.

"Yeah, we got rid of them but it isn't something I want to do all that often that is for sure. It was so….." Harry was uncertain on what to say about the Magix that he had dealt with while destroying the trinkets. It was almost like dealing with a thick tar that hindered your every move, it was something that Harry hadn't enjoyed dealing with for the time that he had dealt with it.

Harry noticed that Edward's eyes seemed to hold some secret that he knew he wouldn't be able to get out of the vampire.

"So what have you been doing dear?" Harry asked as he made his way into the house to notice that it seemed that Edward had been reading while waiting for Harry to arrive home.

"And how many times have you read that particular book?" Harry asked as he saw the title of the book that Edward was reading.

"A few times" Edward said while laughing, the truth was that he along with the rest of the coven had probably a vast majority of the books that had been released during their years of a coven.

"What are you up to?" Harry finally asked, he had promised himself that he wouldn't ask any questions but now he couldn't take it anymore and he had to know what it was that Edward and probably the rest of the coven were up to.

"Nothing"

"You lie" Harry said a smile on his face, he had missed this. He had thought a few times that he was letting the vampires back into his heart too quickly but there was just something that the vampires had that made him want them to be a part of his life. He could only hope that the decision that he had made to include them into his life wouldn't blow up in his face.

"Okay, okay, you got me. I have something for you but it isn't ready yet" Edward told Harry, he wasn't sure their plan would even work if the wolves didn't agree.

"You don't have to do anything" Harry said always self-conscious of the fact that there were people out there that actually cared about him and wanted to do things for him with no hidden agenda.

"I don't have to, but I want to" Edward said to Harry before pulling him into a quick kiss. He was glad that his mate was home and safe, when he had arrived to the house to see that no lights were on and Harry's car was gone he had worried that something had happened to his mate but then rational thought had won out and he realized that Harry had probably made his way to La Push to try and destroy the trinkets that Bella had given to him, and so he had entered the house and turned on a few lights to make the house feel much homier than it had before.

"So when shall I find out about this great plan you have cooked up?" Harry asked, he knew that whatever Edward had planned the rest of the coven knew about and were probably helping him in any way that they could.

"Soon enough" Edward said hoping that things would go smoothly at least until a certain point in the plan. Harry mumbled under breath about vampires and their secrets while smile the whole time.

"Dinner?" Edward asked Harry, he was all for taking his small mate out for a quiet dinner just the pair of them. Bella along with the rest of the students were probably at the last home football game of the season so that left the shops into town slow and quiet, just the way that Edward wanted things.

"Oh yeah, I didn't get a chance to eat since I figured you may already be back"

"Then to dinner we go. What do you want?" Harry had to think about the question. It was always hard for Edward and the coven to go out to eat as they never ate any of the food that they ordered but Harry figured if he ordered light he could eat both his and Edward's meal, or at least give it a try.

The rest of the evening for Harry and Edward was spent together just being in each other's company, something that both felt was very much needed at this point in time. Both knew that it would only be a matter of time before they began fighting with Bella and for Harry the British Wizarding World to come calling for their savior to do what he was born to do, defeat the Dark Lord. What they didn't know was how soon it really was going to be.


End file.
